Here’s what you better know about the effectiveness and safety of St. John’s wort for treatingchildhood depression.
What Is St. John’s Wort?
The flowering plant can be used for many purposes and is available in a variety of forms.
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The flowering tops of the St. John’s wort plant is often used in teas.
However, the use of St. John’s wort for depressionin childrenhas not been well-studied.
This data is promising, but doesn’t compare St. John’s wort with placebo.
Another study in 2005 found that some adolescents with mild depression might benefit from using St. John’s wort.
However, the study did not look specifically at improvement of depressive systems as an outcome variable.
Use in Children vs. One example of this phenomenon is the use of prescriptionantidepressant medications in children.
It’s unclear if natural and herbal supplements could carry the same risk.
If someone you love is depressed, verify you know thewarning signs of suicide.
If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Medication Interactions
St. John’s wort has the potential to interact with many commonly used medications.
TheFDA issued a public health advisoryabout these possible interactions and maintains an updateddatabase of drug-herb interactions.
Herbal preparations can increase the risk of adverse effects just as prescription drugs can.
This can be difficult as herbal products are not regulated to the same degree in the United States.
Importance of Addressing Childhood Depression
Depression is not uncommon in children and can be serious.
Childhood depression can be difficult to diagnose, aswarning signs of depression in young childrenaren’t always recognized.
From extreme shyness toirritabilityand anger, many parents assume they facing a behavioral issue rather than depression.
If you believe your child may have depression, talk to your pediatrician.
Building a connection of support is an important step for the well being of your entire family.
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Clinical use of Hypericum perforatum (St Johns wort) in depression: A meta-analysis.Journal of affective disorders.
