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My Health
My
Health
Volume 10, Issue 2 2011
Serving Indiana Members
We can help. First speak to your primary
medical provider (PMP) to help you stop
using tobacco. You can take a quit smoking
class or ask for our free Quit Kit full of tips
other people have used to stop smoking.
You can call
1-800-319-0662
to help you
start on your way to being smoke-free. If
you are ready, speak to your PMP today to
help you quit.
Ready to quit smoking?
Does your child have attention-defcit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Most
children who take drugs prescribed by a doctor for ADHD fnd that the right
dose helps them greatly with only mild side efects. To fgure out what amount is
right, your child’s doctor may have to make dose changes or try diferent drugs.
To be safe when using ADHD drugs:
•
Te child must take the drug
exactly as it is prescribed
.
•
When a child frst starts on an ADHD drug, parents should
set up an office
visit within the frst month with the doctor who prescribed the drug
. Tis
helps ensure that the medication is working well.
•
Pay attention to how your child frst responds to the drug
. Ask his or her
teacher as well. Since the best dose of each drug is not decided by a child’s size
or weight alone, reports from parents and teachers help the doctor make sure
that the child is receiving the right dose.
•
Track progress using the drug over a period of time
. Tere are checklists and
rating scales that can help you do this. Ask the doctor about how to get them.
•
See the doctor who prescribed the drug at least two more times within the
next nine months
to help ensure that the drug is working well. Tese two
visits could happen during well-visit checkups.
What to expect
As children grow, the dose is expected to change. It’s important to see the doctor
for well visits and use this time to talk about any ADHD drug your child takes.
•
Tell the child’s doctor if your child is taking other medicines (even those sold
over the counter), vitamins or supplements.
•
Watch how well your child progresses in school, at home and overall.
•
Call the doctor who prescribed the drug if you have any concerns or questions.
Source: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry website:
Practice Parameters for the Assessment
and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with ADHD
(2007): aacap.org
ADHD drugs: what
you should know