Main description:

Deciding whether to give a child medication for an emotional or behavioral problem is a difficult choice. Parents wonder: Will it really help? How long will it be needed? Are there alternatives? What about side effects? Do news stories about FDA black box warnings trump the doctor's assurances that medications are safe and effective? From noted Harvard psychiatrist Timothy E. Wilens, this bestselling guide has already empowered many tens of thousands of parents to become active, informed managers of their children's care. The newly updated third edition details the latest advances in treating specific disorders and offers up-to-date answers to parents' frequently asked questions. Dr. Wilens covers how medications work; their impact on kids' emotions, personality, school performance, and health; the risks and benefits of widely used antidepressants; and much more. The book features new recommendations on treatments for bipolar disorder and ADHD-two illnesses where significant progress has recently been made.

Contents:

Introduction. Part I: What Every Parent Should Know about Psychiatric Medications for Children. The Preliminaries: Building a Foundation of Knowledge. The Psychopharmacological Evaluation: Finding Out What's Wrong. The Diagnosis and Treatment Plan: Laying Out a Strategy to Help Your Child. Treatment and Beyond: Collaborating in Your Child's Ongoing Care. Part II: Common Childhood Psychiatric Disorders. Attentional and Disruptive Behavioral Disorders. Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders. The Mood Disorders. Anxiety-related Disorders. Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders. Disorders of Known Medical and Neurological Origin. Other Mental Health Disturbances Affecting Children and Adolescents. Part III: The Psychotropic Medications. The Stimulants and Nonstimulants for ADHD. The Antidepressants. The Mood Stabilizers. The Anxiety-breaking Medications. The Antihypertensives. The Antipsychotics. Medications for Sleep, Bedwetting, and Other Problems. Appendix: Representative Medication Preparations and Sizes Used for the Treatment of Childhood Emotional and Behavioral Disorders; Example of a Completed Medication Log; Medication Log; Resources.