The field of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has lost its way. Numerous reports detail the significant increase and inappropriate use of medications to treat children and adolescents with mental health problems. I have created this blog to help parents and other concerned individuals sort their way through the massive amounts of information and misinformation available on this topic.
1. A thorough psychiatric evaluation of a child or adolescent takes several hours. If you see a doctor who writes a prescription after one session...........be cautious.
2. Although the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry does not reccommend laboratory studies before starting certain medications, I disagree with this. By being cautious and ordering an updated physical, lab studies and an EKG, I have found some patients to have abnormal heart rhythms and other blood abnormalities which were unknown.
3. There are a small number of medications which are are FDA approved for treating children and adolescents. All other medications are being prescribed OFF LABEL.
4. NO PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER in children should be treated with medication alone. There are many psychotherapy treatments that are proven to be effective for mental health disorders in children and adolescents.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
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