Parents of young children with psychotic conditions have valid reasons to be concerned over possible Risperdal injury, as reports of gynecomastia and other long term complications continue to be reported.

Even though this medication is supposed to help balance mood and increase mental stability in children, Risperdal injury may be inducing chronic emotional trauma due unanticipated physical side effects.

Gynecomastia, or male breast growth, occurs in young male patients when there is a severe hormonal imbalance of prolactin.

Prolactin is the hormone primarily responsible for breast development in young girls, and is naturally produced in small amounts in young boys.

However when there is a sudden influx of the hormone, a developing adolescent body is very prone to the physical developments that may occur and young males can develop large breasts.

This Risperdal injury allegedly occurs due to how the medication is metabolized in the body, which directly interacts with the body’s pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is responsible for the production of the body’s many hormones including prolactin, which can mean embarrassing side effects of developing young patients.

Many young boys who suffered this alleged Risperdal injury, reportedly suffered significant emotional trauma due to the social stigma of man boobs.

In addition to male breast growth, Risperdal injury can also include significant weight gain and even the development of type-2 diabetes in severe cases.

Overview of Risperdal Injury Concern

Risperdal (Risperidone) is an atypical antipsychotic commonly prescribed to treat severe psychotic conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in adults, and can also treat some forms of autism in children.

The medication works by balancing the dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain, which will ideally produce improved thinking and general mood.

Risperdal quickly gained popularity when it was released in the early 1990s, due to its unique treatment mechanism. Instead of adjusting all of the brain chemicals, Risperdal was supposed to emit a positive reaction from patients due to its activity on dopamine- the brain chemical responsible for pleasure and reward sensations.

While Risperdal worked well for many adult patients, physicians soon began prescribing the medication to treat children for off-label treatment purposes.

Risperdal was not officially approved to treat children until 2007, which was much later than Johnson & Johnson’s alleged Risperdal marketing campaign specifically targeting children.

While it is not illegal for physicians to prescribe medications for off label purposes, it is illegal for manufacturing companies to advertise them for such treatment purposes.

This alleged faulty marketing reportedly resulted in numerous cases of Risperdal injury, with gynecomastia and type-2 diabetes being some of the most prominent concerns.

Even though these are both very serious conditions with wide implications, Johnson & Johnson allegedly failed to warn patients and physicians of possible Risperdal injury.

Risperdal patients who allegedly experienced these serious conditions may be able to file legal action against Johnson & Johnson, and should contact a specialized lawyer to determine eligibility.