Parents Guide to Psychiatric Medications

Should psychiatric medication be prescribed for a child? Only a parent, in consultation with a doctor, can make that choice. Parents should be fully aware of the conditions that call for such medication and the appropriate drug used for treatment. Though a medication treatment plan for a child may not completely remove all symptoms of a disorder, at the very least, the child will experience a definite improvement in his or her day-to-day life. Long-term problems are minimal when compared to the continuation of a mental disorder. 

Always get a doctor's opinion first before providing a child with any medication, over-the-counter or otherwise.

Some of the disorders (and related symptoms) treatable with a prescription are:

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
A child just entering school may have this disorder when he or she is easily frustrated, or has social problems. Children with this disorder have a short attention span, cannot concentrate, or are continually restless. The most commonly prescribed medication is Ritalin, an amphetamine methylphenidate.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Children with this disorder engage in repetitive senseless rituals or talk about troublesome thoughts that they cannot resolve. The recommended medication is usually SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), such as sertraline, citalopram, fluoxetine, escitalopram, and paroxetine.

Depressive Disorder
External signs of this disorder in a pre-teen child might be a sudden decline in the quality of school work, or drastic changes in eating or sleeping habits. Internally, a child with this disorder may experience continual sadness or guilt, or have long-lasting feelings of unworthiness or hopelessness. The recommended medication is the same as for OCD, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors.

Bipolar Disorder
Also known as manic-depressive disorder, this disorder, occurring in a child of any age, alternates periods of manic energy, with the child often happy and verbose, with other periods of deep depression and irritability, where the child is silent and withdrawn. The recommended medication is lithium carbonate.

Psychosis
This disorder, occurring in older adolescents, is characterized by hallucinations, obsessive rituals, paranoia and irrational beliefs. Socially, the child withdraws, becomes extremely stubborn,and neglects personal hygiene. The recommended medication is the antipsychotic drug Aripiprazole, also known as Abilify.

Autism
This developmental disorder, still not understood completely, is diagnosed in early childhood, and is characterized by strong deficits in language, thought processes, learning ability and social interaction. The recommended medication is the antipsychotic drug Risperidone.

Again, always speak to a qualified physician before using any of the medication mentioned. This is just a general reference.

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