THINGS EVERY PARENT OF A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD SHOULD KNOW
MEDICATIONS
I cannot tell you how many times over the years one of the therapists or office staff has been made aware by a parent that they have stopped or changed a child’s medication without talking to their doctor first. Every time we hear it, it makes us nervous, at the very least.
Medications are prescribed by doctors. They are specific to an illness or symptom, and are specific to a child’s age, weight, and diagnosis. Medications should NEVER be stopped, or the dosage changed, without talking to a doctor first. Period.
Yes, sometimes a child starts a new medication and begins to display symptoms or behaviors that were not expected. When this happens, a phone call to the doctors’ office is in order. A new medication may need to be adjusted several times until the dosage is perfect for your child, and this may require multiple trips to the doctors’ office. While this is inconvenient and time consuming, it is a necessity.
Some meds (especially psychotropic drugs and thyroid medications) require several weeks to build up in the system and work fully. You cannot tell in the first week or two how it is working for sure. Some meds (especially psychotropic drugs) cannot be stopped cold turkey – they need to be weaned off by lower dosages over a period of weeks. Stopping a drug cold turkey can have terrible adverse effects.
Sometimes initial symptoms/changes such as hyperactivity or sleepiness go away as the child’s body adjusts to the new meds. Stopping the medication before the child has time to adjust does not give you a good idea of how the medication works long term.
Medications may seem to “stop working” over time. This is true, they do. Sometimes, they “stop working” because a child has had a growth spurt. When your child’s weight changes, the dosage probably needs to change too.
When children begin to go through puberty, medication dosages often need changed, and sometimes all of the medications need changed. Hormone fluctuations, a growth spurt, and the increased anxiety puberty can cause can cause medications to “not work.” Sometimes new medications need to be added.
It is critical that you never cut in half or crush a medication unless you have checked with the doctor or pharmacist first. Some pills cannot be safely cut or crushed, especially if they are “time released.” Check first!
Take the time to make a list of your child’s medications, including the name of the drug, the dosage, and how often they take it. Take this list to every medical appointment. ALL of your doctors should know every medication that your child is on, every time. This includes supplements and vitamins. I recommend saving the list on the computer, so that you can change it quickly and print it out as often as necessary.
Parents, I know you have a million responsibilities, but “picking and choosing” your child’s meds is not one of them. You keep track of the symptoms, and keep the doctor informed, but only the doctor should determine which meds are needed, how often, and at what dosage.
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