Should I Medicate My Child - Hardcover

Diller, Lawrence

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0465016456 ISBN 13: 9780465016457

Publisher: Basic Books, 2002

Synopsis

When Running on Ritalin was published in 1998 it touched off a firestorm about treating children with psychiatric drugs. Dr. Lawrence Diller established himself as the leading expert on the controversial use of stimulants for attention deficit disorder. Since then, parents, physicians, teachers and psychologists, have clamored for his expertise on psychological problems beyond ADD and on drugs beyond Ritalin. More and more parents are asking the simple question: Should I medicate my child?The answer is not as simple as some "experts" say. Children who are angry, intense, distractible, over-energetic, obsessive, shy, listless, or remote rarely benefit from an either/or strategy. Unlike those with a strong pro- or anti-drug agenda, Dr. Diller advocates a balanced approach; he shows how a wise pediatrician--one who prescribes drugs but also urges non-pharmaceutical interventions when possible--makes decisions. Should I Medicate My Child? empowers parents to ask the same questions Dr. Diller poses in diagnosis and treatment: Have all non-drug approaches been tried? Is the diagnosis accurate? What's known (or unknown) about the recommended drug?Calmly comforting, authoritative, and illustrated with real-life examples, Should I Medicate My Child? is essential reading for parents who have been told their preschooler should be "tested" for a disorder, whose fifth-grader has been prescribed Prozac or Depakote, or whose teenager has been diagnosed with a "chemical imbalance." Should I Medicate My Child? features a detailed, easy-to-access Appendix of Frequently Prescribed Drugs--what they do, side effects, dosages, and more. Should I Medicate My Child? answers parents' vital questions: * Is it fair to discipline my hyperactive child if he can't help himself when he misbehaves? Choosing the right kind of discipline is essential. Often the time-honored "time-out" is not the best choice. * The psychiatrist says the medication he's prescribing is "safe." How can I know if that's true? Dr. Diller's detailed Appendix includes little-known information on how (or if) a drug has actually been tested on children. * Does it make good sense to use medication right away? Dr. Diller explains why this can sometimes be the best course of action. * My pediatrician says there are drugs that will help my shy six year old be more outgoing. Is this true? Prescribing drugs for withdrawn children is a risky business. Dr. Diller explains why and offers alternatives to help ease their distress.

About this title

About the Author

Lawrence Diller, M.D., is a behavioral pediatrician and family therapist in Walnut Creek, California. He is the author of Running on Ritalin and writes frequently for Salon.com and other publications. In 2000 Diller testified before a U.S. Congressional committee investigating Ritalin use.

Reviews

Behavioral pediatrician and family therapist Diller (Running on Ritalin) presents a thoughtful and balanced discussion of the use of psychiatric medications for adolescents and children. His position is middle of the road. Medication alone doesn't solve a child's behavioral problems, he argues, and therapy and changes in discipline at school and at home sometimes can be enough in themselves. On the other hand, medication can offer some immediate relief and assist in otherwise overwhelming situations. Diller purports to cover all kinds of childhood concerns, from hyperactivity to depression and autism, but the bulk of the book deals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with other problems dealt with rather cursorily in appended chapters. This won't give parents all they need to know on ADHD-for that, Russell Barkley's Taking Charge of ADHD is a good, basic title-or any other childhood emotional disorder, but it is a good addition to a well-stocked parenting collection in medium and large public libraries.
Mary Ann Hughes, Neill P.L., Pullman, WA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0465016456
• ISBN 13: 9780465016457
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256