Record number of sleeping pills given to children as they grapple with the impact of Covid

Volumes of RECORD sleeping pills are being distributed to children as they grapple with the impact of Covid.

Doctor issued 570,000 VND prescription for under-16s in the UK last year.

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That’s a 17% increase from the previous 12 months and a worrisome and unsettling jump of 67% over 4 years.

Experts warn a combination of lockdowns, pandemic anxiety and disrupted schooling has left many children struggling to go to sleep.

According to official figures, people aged 10 are given the pill most often, accounting for 63,427 prescriptions – or more than 1,200 a week.

Chris Martin, CEO of The Mix, a charity for young people, said: “The pandemic has turned the lives of under-25s upside down, leaving them feeling stressed. and worry.

“Disruption to young people’s educational and support networks during months of isolation has resulted in loneliness and depression, posing significant mental health challenges.”

NHS Business Services figures show that in 2020, doctors issued 570,147 prescriptions for hypnosis – sleeping pills and liquid drugs – to children under 16 in the UK.

NHS guidelines say doctors shouldn’t normally prescribe sleeping pills to children unless it’s for short-term treatment.