Deciding if, when and how medicate your child is a big responsibility. In this section we’ve gathered information and advice to help you make the best possible decisions when it comes to medication for children. Experts shed light on the most effective medications for specific disorders, as well as how to know if your child is getting the right dose and how and when children should be weaning off medication. We also offer guidance on how to help older kids work on medication management when they’re out on their own.
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More on Medication
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- Is Your Child Getting the Right Medication Dosage?
- How to Take Kids Off Medication
- When to Worry About Kids Taking Multiple Medications
- Understanding ADHD Medications
- Autism and Medication
- Pediatricians and ADHD
- Side Effects of ADHD Medication
- The Facts on ADHD Medications
- What We Know About the Long-Term Effects of ADHD Medications
- Will ADHD Medication Change My Child’s Brain?
- Talking to Kids About Medication
- Best Medications for Kids With Anxiety
- How Is Medicine Used to Treat Kids With Autism?
- What Medications Are Most Effective in Children With Bipolar Disorder?
- Medication Managment in College
- Antidepressants and Teen Suicides
- What’s the Best Treatment for ADHD and Tourette’s?
- Multiple Meds and Kids: What to Know
- A Comprehensive Approach to Treatment for Children
- How to Manage Medication as Children Grow
- Antipsychotics, Weight Gain and Kids’ Health
- When Should Medication Be Used to Treat Selective Mutism?
- When Teenagers Self-Medicate
- Do ADHD Meds Lead to Addiction?
- ADHD: The Pros and Cons of a Drug Holiday
- Harnessing the Placebo Effect in Treatment
- Using Medications Without FDA Approval
- Is It True That Antidepressants Are No Better Than Placebos?
- A Psychiatrist Rethinks Antipsychotic Meds for Schizophrenia
- Stimulants and Suicide: A Tragic Story With Misleading Implications
- Why ADHD Pills Won’t Help Kids in Poor Schools
Ask an Expert
All Ask an Expert- When should medication be used to treat selective mutism?
- Stimulant medications helped my son with ADHD, but he developed tics. Is there something else we can try?
- Our granddaughter is severely anxious, but an antidepressant had too many side effects. Should we try a natural medication?
- Our 7-year-old, who is tapering off Prozac, is upset and irritable. Is that a symptom of withdrawal?
- My son, who has been taking Prozac for selective mutism, is now completely verbal in school. When can we start taking him off it?
- My son gets angry easily and is anxious about it. Will a safe, over-the-counter remedy or a gluten-free diet help?
- My granddaughter has autism, is extremely hyperactive and sleeps erratically. Her medications keep changing. What can I do?
- My daughter, who has ADHD, gets sad and depressed when she takes stimulant medications. Does it make sense to add an antidepressant?
- My aggressive 6-year-old, who has had many diagnoses, reacted badly to stimulants and an SSRI. What else can we try?
- My son, who is taking Ritalin for his ADHD, is increasingly anxious. Should we change or add to his medication?
- My son, who has ADHD, is becoming aggressive. Should we change medications?
- My son has a very mild case of ADHD combined. Would coffee help him?
- My 8-year-old son with ADHD is anxious. Should we add to or change his medication?
- I’m 17 and have struggled with ADHD and depression. Medications I’ve tried haven’t worked. What should I do now?
- My 14-year-old daughter hasn’t had success with stimulants. Should she try Abilify?
- Why do some kids fail to respond, or respond unpredictably, to psychotropic medication?
- Why do teenagers go off ADHD medication?
- Is it safe to use medications without FDA approval for children?
- Could long-term use of Adderall be contributing to depression in a college student?
- Can Adderall and other drugs used to treat ADHD cause depression?