Teens Who Take Medication
What Educators Need to Know about Psychotropic Drugs
Knowing what to look for and expect when one of your students is on medication can help maximize the effectiveness of his treatment.
If you work with kids, it’s likely that you know a student who takes psychotropic medication. Like adults, teens can be diagnosed with a wide array of psychiatric issues such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention deficit disorder (ADD or ADHD). As more is learned about these mental health issues that impact teens, medication therapy is used more often as a treatment strategy.
What should you know about medication in order to help teens get the most out of their treatment? Be sure to familiarize yourself with the following:
The Medication’s Purpose
Medications are prescribed to address specific diagnoses and symptoms. It’s a good idea to understand what the treatment goals are so that you know what to expect. You should be able to get this information from the doctor via the parents. If not, you can get a general understanding of the medication online through a reputable medical website such as WebMD.
Importance of Feedback
In addition, understanding what the medication is supposed to do can help you provide accurate feedback to the parents or doctor regarding any changes in the child’s behavior or functioning. This feedback may be critical in deciding whether to continue or alter drug treatment plans. Parents may also ask you to complete rating scales or other behavioral forms to provide this feedback to the child’s physician in a systematic way. Be sure to complete such forms as accurately and honestly as possible.
Possible Side Effects
Every medication has possible side effects. If you spend a lot of time with a child who takes regular medication, it’s a good idea to know what these side effects are so you can look out for them. The child’s parents should be able to share this information with you. Parents will likely appreciate the extra set of eyes. Be sure to alert them if you notice any additional changes in the student’s appearance, behavior, mood, or energy level.
Sensitivity to Student’s Self-esteem
The fact that a student takes medication at all, as well as information about any diagnosis or treatment, is, of course, confidential. Respect your student’s privacy by ensuring that you don’t talk about his medication needs around other students, and make sure that any documentation regarding this issue is kept in a secure location. Make sure you don’t treat his need to take medication as an indication that he has “mental problems” or is otherwise set apart from his peers. Treat this requirement as you would any other medical need.
Respect for Personal Responsibility
Avoid the temptation to assume that daily fluctuations in a student’s behavior are due to missed dosages. While you want to be sure to communicate such changes to the parent, telling a student “you must not have taken your meds today!” is not only disrespectful, but it undermines the belief that the student is responsible for his own behavior.
Keeping these tips in mind can help you support your student in a safe and respectful way.
