A ONE YEAR OLD boy has been prescribed anti-depressants by a health board, with at least 450 children under the age of 18 given the drugs in the first five months of this year, it has emerged.

Bosses at NHS Tayside revealed the case of the boy that occurred in 2014, but would give no details on why he needed the prescription.

The board said a girl of seven was among 450 under-18s prescribed antidepressants between January and May this year.

A spokeswoman said the drugs could be used for people who have a number of different conditions. She said: “Antidepressants are a type of medication used to treat clinical depression, or prevent it from recurring.

“However, they can also be used to treat a wide range of medical conditions, such as chronic pain and anxiety disorders.

“If appropriate for individual patients, antidepressants are prescribed and often used in combination with therapy to treat more severe depression, or other mental health conditions caused by emotional distress.

“Alternative treatments for depression include talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling. Regular exercise has also been shown to be useful for mild depression.

“If young people are not feeling themselves, feeling down, or experiencing a low mood, it is important they seek support by talking to someone they trust, such as their parents, friends, GP, or a support service, such as The Corner.”

The most common age group to be given the prescriptions is between 14 and 17.

Girls are more likely to be given antidepressants than boys, NHS Tayside said.