James Donaldson on Mental Health - Questions to Ask a Doctor Prescribing Medication to Your Child

Above all, you want to work with professionals who communicate effectively with you, listen to your concerns and answer your questions.

Here are some questions that anyone prescribing medication to your child should be able to answer: What is the generic name of this medication, and what do we know about how the active chemical ingredient works?

What are the alternative medications, and why did you choose this one?

If it’s effective, what will this medication do for my child?

How do you arrive at the best dosage for this medication?

What are the potential side effects?

How will you measure the effectiveness of the medication?

What kind of monitoring will you do while my child is on the medication?

What’s the research on this medication?

How many patients have you treated with this medication?