The following are some additional questions to ask the doctor:
- What is the name of the medication? Is it known by other names?
- How effective has it been for other children who have a similar condition to the child?
- How will the medication help the child? How long before I see improvement?
- Is this medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the child's condition? If not, (i.e., it is being prescribed "off-label"), why is this medicine being recommended?
- What are the side effects that occur with this medication and how will I know if the child is experiencing any of these effects?
- What is the recommended dosage? How often will the medication be taken?
- Does the child need laboratory tests (e.g. electrocardiograms, blood tests, etc.) before taking the medication? Does the child need any tests while taking the medication?
- Will a child and adolescent psychiatrist monitor the child's response to the medication and change the dose if necessary? Who will check the child's progress and how often?
- Does the child need to avoid other medications or foods while taking this medication?
- Does this medication interact with other medications (prescription and/or over-the-counter) the child is taking?
