Abstract
A perfect medication is one which is effective 100% of the time, completely relieves the symptoms of the disorder being treated, and causes no side effects. Unfortunately, no such medications exist. Many medications have the potential for affecting alertness, behavior, and cognitive function. This is of particular importance in children, since they will be receiving this medication in the critical years during which development and learning are a key part of the maturational process. The negative impact of medication may be overt or subtle. The more clear-cut disturbances in development and behavior generally take place when the medications are given beyond the usual therapeutic levels, and they are often associated with more easily documentable physiological disturbances. It is more difficult to detect the subtle forms of disturbances which may take place when the medications are given in therapeutic amounts and do not lead to easily defined physical symptoms. The clinician must be alert to the possibility of subtle disturbances. The process of ongoing follow-up must include detailed questions about changes in a child’s behavioral patterns as well as in deviations in developmental and learning progress. Admittedly, it is often difficult to differentiate the effects medication from those which are due to the medical disorder itself or the psychological need to adapt to a chronic illness.of
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Erenberg, G. (1991). Neuropharmacological Therapies. In: Gottlieb, M.I., Williams, J.E. (eds) Developmental-Behavioral Disorders. Critical Issues in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3714-4_16
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3714-4_16
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