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Do kids need adhd medications3/15/2024 ![]() What can go wrong with multiple medications? The combination of a single medication and behavioral treatment should be carefully considered before more meds are added. That’s because children, whose nervous systems are still maturing, don’t always respond to medication the same way adults do.īut adding medications shouldn’t be done in lieu of safer behavioral treatments that have been shown to be effective for kids with many issues, including ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders. Clinical evidence suggests that medication “cocktails” can be safe and effective when prescribed by a doctor who is very well informed about the medications and has extensive experience prescribing them and monitoring the responses of children to them. There is very little scientific evidence about the safety and effectiveness of multiple medications in children. Is it safe for a child to take more than one psychotropic medication? In most cases, it’s preferable to reduce the dosage of the first medication, or change meds, to minimize the side effects, but in some cases this combination might be preferred. For instance, if your child with ADHD has sleep problems as a side effect of stimulant medication, your doctor might prescribe medications like Catapres (clonidine) to counteract them. > Sometimes medications are added to counteract the side effects of the first medication without lowering the dosage of that medication. For instance, if your child with ADHD can’t tolerate an effective dose of a stimulant without serious sleep or eating problems, your doctor might lower the dose and add a prescription of a nonstimulant medication like Tenex (guanfacine). Your doctor might want to lower the dose of the medication to the point where the side effects are not a problem, and then add a different medication to give her a little more help with her symptoms. > Another possibility is that your child does respond well to the first medication your doctor prescribes – it successfully alleviates her symptoms – but she experiences side effects that are unpleasant or harmful. For example, if she has ADHD and hasn’t improved enough on a stimulant medication, your doctor might want to try adding a nonstimulant medication that helps with ADHD symptoms like Strattera (atomoxetine). Your doctor might propose adding a second medication to boost the effect of the first. ![]() She might be showing some improvement, but she’s still struggling. > Sometimes a child might have just one disorder, but the medication recommended for treating it doesn’t help her enough at an appropriate dosage. If your child has both, a doctor treating her might prescribe stimulant medication such as Ritalin (methylphenidate) or Adderall (amphetamine) and an antidepressant like Zoloft (sertraline) or Prozac (fluoxetine). For instance, it’s quite common for a child who has ADHD to also have anxiety or a mood disorder. But they can be treated separately with different medications, in the same way that you might take two medications if you have both high blood pressure and high cholesterol. > Some children have more than one disorder, and there is no single medication that helps with all of them. ![]() There are several reasons why a psychiatrist or pediatrician might prescribe more than one medication for a child’s emotional or behavioral issues: Here are some guidelines to help you understand why your doctor might recommend multiple medications for your child, and whether you should have concerns about this treatment. Studies show that the number of children taking several psychoactive medications is soaring. Making decisions about medication for a child with emotional or behavioral problems can be daunting and fraught with worry, especially when more than one medication is involved.
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