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How these powerful medications are used to treat kids with problem behaviors Writer: Caroline Miller Clinical Expert: Paul Mitrani, MD, PhD What You'll Learn What are 'atypical' or 'next-generation' antipsychotic medications? Why are antipsychotics give...

Tips for making sure your child makes a good transition Writer: Caroline Miller Clinical Expert: Ron J. Steingard, MD Key Takeaways With most medications, it’s important to take kids off them slowly, following your doctor’s advice, as stopping quickly ...

'Off-label' drugs have been and can be safely prescribed to children, but care is still needed What You'll Learn What does it mean to prescribe a medication “off-label” ? Why might medications that can help kids not be FDA-approved for them? What should ...

And warning signs that you should be concerned about the care your child is getting Writer: Caroline Miller Clinical Expert: Ron J. Steingard, MD What You'll Learn Why might your child’s doctor prescribe more than one medication? Is it safe for a child ...

It takes practice, so high school is the time to start Writer: Rae Jacobson, MS Clinical Expert: Allison Baker, MD What You'll Learn Why is it important for kids to learn to manage their own medication? How can parent help prepare kids to manage meds in...

Writer: Hannah Sheldon-Dean A mental health emergency is usually a situation in which someone’s mental state seems to be dangerous, either to themselves or to others around them. It’s appropriate to take a child, teenager or young adult to the emergency room ...

When a child is heading for psychiatric hospitalization, a parent, too, is in a tough place, and a scary one. Knowing what to expect, and what is expected of you, can help you work more effectively with the staff and be a better advocate for your child. This g...

A parent's guide to helping a child in distress Writer: Nadine Kaslow, PhD Clinical Expert: Nadine Kaslow, PhD What You'll Learn Does talking about suicide make a child more likely to attempt suicide? What should I say to a child who is feeling suicidal...

An open letter on what to expect from psychiatric hospitalization Writer: Julia Johnson Attaway What You'll Learn What will happen if my child is hospitalized? What will I need to do while my child is in the hospital? What should I do to prepare for my ...

An open letter on what to expect and how to manage it Writer: Julia Johnson Attaway What You'll Learn What should I expect when my child comes home from a psychiatric hospital? What questions should I ask my child’s doctor? What should I do if my child’...

Helping kids get organized and control problem behaviors Writer: Caroline Miller Clinical Experts: Matthew Cruger, PhD , Jill Emanuele, PhD Key Takeaways Behavioral treatments don’t change ADHD symptoms but teach kids how to manage them, and may be u...

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) find it unusually difficult to concentrate on tasks, to pay attention, to sit still and to control impulsive behavior. Stimulant medication has been shown to be the most effective treatment for redu...

Learning specialists on how to build organizational skills Writer: Rachel Ehmke Clinical Expert: Matthew Cruger, PhD Key Takeaways Executive functions are self-regulating skills kids use daily for tasks like planning, organizing, and learning from mist...

Ritalin or Adderall? Short or long-acting? A look at the alternatives, and how they work Writer: Roy Boorady, MD Clinical Expert: Roy Boorady, MD Key Takeaways ADHD stimulant medications work by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain to he...

How it’s used and how it compares to other ADHD medications Writer: Caroline Miller Clinical Expert: Paul Mitrani, MD, PhD Key Takeaways Methylphenidate is one of the two stimulants widely used to treat symptoms of ADHD. It helps the brain regulate att...

A long-acting, slower release medication for ADHD Writer: Caroline Miller Clinical Expert: Paul Mitrani, MD, PhD Key Takeaways Vyvanse is a long-acting stimulant medication for ADHD that is a prodrug — one that isn’t active until it’s metabolized in th...

A look at how they work and when they are recommended for kids with ADHD Writer: Caroline Miller Clinical Expert: Sarper Taskiran, MD Key Takeaways Stimulant medications like Ritalin and Adderall are most effective for reducing symptoms of ADHD but are...

Recommended treatment for children under 5 is behavioral therapy, not stimulant medication Writer: Caroline Miller Clinical Experts: Andrew Adesman, MD , Mark A. Stein, PhD What You'll Learn How is an ADHD diagnosis made in little kids? What is the best...

What to look for, and how to handle them Writer: Roy Boorady, MD Clinical Expert: Roy Boorady, MD Key Takeaways Common ADHD medication side effects include sleep problems, reduced appetite, slower growth, headaches, and irritability when medication w...

And what we don't know Writer: Caroline Miller Clinical Expert: Michael P. Milham, MD, PhD Key Takeaways Stimulant medications for ADHD leave the body quickly, so side effects, when they occur, are temporary. Research shows stimulants are safe for...