Kids who take Risperdal could be in for side effects far different from what they may have been led to expect.

Risperdal, also known by its generic name risperidone, is a type of psychiatric medication known as an atypical antipsychotic.

After more than 20 years on the market, Risperdal is now approved by the FDA as a treatment for schizophrenia, the acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, and the irritability associated with autistic disorder.

At the treating physician’s discretion, Risperdal is sometimes used for other “off-label” uses.

These days, doctors often prescribe Risperdal for off-label use to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

By one report, over 3.5 million kids who take Risperdal are taking it to treat ADHD. Other patients take it for insomnia, anxiety or depression.

As an atypical antipsychotic, Risperdal is believed to operate on the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin.

Scientists believe Risperdal’s effect on these neurotransmitters are what relieve psychiatric symptoms.

But the same chemical action may be responsible for some troublesome Risperdal side effects.

By inhibiting the effect of dopamine, Risperdal may trigger the pituitary gland to produce and release more prolactin.

Prolactin, while it occurs in both males and females, is a hormone that causes development  of breast tissue and increased milk production. The highest prolactin levels are typically found in women who are pregnant or nursing.

What kids who take Risperdal may not realize is that prolactin can have the same effect in males.

Clinically, the development of breast tissue in men or boys is known as gynecomastia. The condition is sometimes accompanied with production of milk and discharge through the nipple, known as galactorrhea.

Clinical studies have found elevated levels of prolactin in kids who take Risperdal. In one such study, higher levels of prolactin were found in 90 percent of patients who took Risperdal.

Are Kids who Take Risperdal at Risk?

This increase in prolactin levels is believed to be what’s resulted in hundreds of reports of gynecomastia in young patients who use Risperdal.

Boys and men who suffer from this condition may develop breasts as large as any woman’s.

In most cases, gynecomastia resolves once whatever is causing it is removed. Some cases have not been so easy to treat, however. Patients with refractory cases of gynecomastia may have to resort to male breast reduction surgery.

The harm linked to gynecomastia is not so much related to the physical deformity as it is to the psychological effects.

Particularly when it occurs in young boys, the condition can inspire teasing and bullying among the patient’s peers, potentially aggravating the patient’s already compromised mental health.

Not content to live with this physical deformity, some patients have sought recourse for their condition via Risperdal lawsuits.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the makers of Risperdal, and its parent company Johnson & Johnson have been on the receiving end of thousands of products liability lawsuits alleging the companies failed to properly address the risk of gynecomastia associated with Risperdal.

Cases that have gone to trial have yielded success for some plaintiffs, and the two companies have reportedly begun settling other Risperdal claims.