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christian counseling today
Vol. 20 no. 2
it is vital for all members of the team
to communicate effectively regarding
goals and limitations, including medica-
tion. Before prescribing medication, it
is necessary to inform both the patient
and parents about the expected bene-
fits, as well as any possible side effects,
FDA warnings and risk factors. Parents
and adolescent patients should also be
informed as to the proper use of any
prescription.
While some believe medication
should only be used as a last resort,
children and adolescents in crisis may
require psychotropic intervention in
order to achieve stability. Once initial
stability is established, the treatment
team can better formulate a plan
involving, but not limited to, coun-
seling, effective coping strategies and
special accommodations at home and
school. While some patients may be
able to reduce or stop medications
altogether after a period of time, other
conditions require long-term manage-
ment over the course of many years.
The goal of medication is to reduce
or eliminate target symptoms and
improve daily functioning. In addressing
any potential adverse side effects, a
physician may initially prescribe a low
dose of the medication and gradually
increase the amount over time. Ideally,
a patient can be treated with a single
medication. However, the presence of
comorbid conditions may require more
than one medication. Additionally, if
side effects from a single medication
are intolerable, low doses of two or
more medications used in combination
may be necessary to achieve the desired
result.
One of the biggest problems
regarding medication management for
children and adolescents is compli-
ance. Medication can be instrumental
in coping and recovering, but only if
the patient follows through with the
medication regime (i.e., the prescribed
times during the day, dosages and
duration). Many patients, particu-
larly children, are reluctant to take
