Miriam Putnam warns against psychotropic drug use in children

Wellness coach Miriam Putnam is urging families and policymakers to rethink how children’s mental health is treated as psychotropic prescriptions rise. She is pushing for more holistic, root-cause approaches, including sleep, nutrition, exercise and mental health support, instead of medication as a first response.

Why it matters: - Putnam is arguing that children’s mental health care should move away from medication-first treatment and toward root-cause care. - The debate matters because psychotropic prescriptions for U.S. children are climbing even as diagnoses continue to rise. - Putnam says families and healthcare providers need better tools to support children without creating long-term dependency on psychiatric drugs.

What happened: - Miriam Putnam, a holistic mental health coach, warned that too many children are being placed on psychotropic medication. - Putnam called for a shift to holistic wellness options and more careful evaluation of behavioral and emotional symptoms. - Her comments were tied to growing concern about rising psychotropic drug use among children in the United States. - Putnam is based in Los Angeles.

The details: - Putnam said medication is too often used as a first-line response rather than a last resort. - She said children’s care should focus on consistent sleep, proper nutrition, exercise, comprehensive blood testing, open communication and understanding. - Putnam said adults should ask whether stress, trauma, unmet needs, environmental instability or lifestyle imbalances are driving the behavior. - She said addressing underlying causes can produce more sustainable improvements in a child’s mental and emotional health. - Putnam also pointed to national discussions and past investigations into prescribing practices, including concerns from watchdog groups and federal agencies about overprescription and weak oversight. - She called for stricter regulations, more access to non-pharmaceutical interventions and greater transparency in prescribing decisions. - Putnam cited a new investigation from CCHR International based on multi-state FOIA data that found millions of children on Medicaid, including toddlers, are being prescribed psychiatric drugs. - Putnam said a high percentage of children placed on psychotropic medication later struggle with drug addiction, adding that the long-term effects need more scrutiny. - Putnam said her preferred approach includes improving sleep hygiene, diet and safe spaces for emotional expression.

Between the lines: - Putnam’s message reflects a broader tension between medical treatment and wellness-based care in pediatric mental health. - Her comments suggest skepticism about how quickly children are diagnosed and medicated, especially when root causes may not be fully assessed. - The emphasis on “root-cause” care also positions lifestyle and environmental changes as part of the mental health conversation, not just add-ons.

What's next: - Putnam is calling on parents, educators and healthcare providers to adopt more natural and holistic strategies. - She is also available for interviews, which could keep the discussion in public view. - More attention may follow to prescribing practices, oversight and access to non-drug interventions for children.

The bottom line: - Putnam’s core argument is that children deserve deeper evaluation, not automatic medication, and that better outcomes may come from addressing sleep, nutrition, stress and other underlying factors. - More information: Miriam Putnam