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Straight Talk about Psychiatric Medications for Kids
Psychiatric medications are being used with increasing confidence to treat a variety of child and adolescent disorders, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and Tourette syndrome. For parents, however, deciding whether to allow a child to take medication for an emotional or behavioral problem may be one of the toughest choices they will ever face. When a son or daughter needs help, parents need more than a brief medical consultation--and more than a prescription slip.
This essential book provides the up-to-date information
that will enable readers to fully understand what their child's doctor is recommending, and what their options are. With loads of real-life examples, answers to frequently asked questions, and helpful tables and charts,
Harvard University researcher and practitioner Dr.Timothy Wilens explains which medications may be prescribed for children, and why; examines effects on children's health, emotions, and school performance; and helps readers become active, informed managers of their child's care.
This essential book provides the up-to-date information
that will enable readers to fully understand what their child's doctor is recommending, and what their options are. With loads of real-life examples, answers to frequently asked questions, and helpful tables and charts,
Harvard University researcher and practitioner Dr.Timothy Wilens explains which medications may be prescribed for children, and why; examines effects on children's health, emotions, and school performance; and helps readers become active, informed managers of their child's care.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 1998
About the author
Alden Studebaker
9 booksAlden Henry Studebaker, Jr. was born on February 19, 1957 in East Chicago, Indiana, and lived in the small town of Dune Acres on the shore of Lake Michigan. At age ten, his family moved to Honolulu where his father, A. Henry Studebaker, worked as the Assistant Director at the Bishop Museum.
In 1975, Alden graduated from Punahou School and enrolled as a chemistry major at the University of Hawaii. While attending college, Alden began to question his career track. One Sunday, while listening to the minister’s message at the Unity Church, he felt an unanticipated calling to the ministry. After wrestling with this newfound vision, he changed his major to religion, and began to move forward toward the goal of becoming a minister. In 1980, Alden received a B.A. degree with a major in religion, minor in history, magna cum laude, from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1982, he entered the Unity Ministerial School. While in school, he served as the student minister of the outreach ministry in Leavenworth, Kansas, and as a chaplain at the nearby military prison.
After his graduation and ordination in 1984, Alden served Unity ministries from California to the Midwest, specifically Vacaville, California; El Paso, Texas; La Crescenta, California; Bellevue, Washington; Cincinnati, Ohio, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. On July 15, 2021, he became the senior minister of Unity of Bonita Springs, Florida.
While on sabbatical between church assignments while living in Topeka, Kansas, Alden wrote the manuscript for a Bible handbook specifically geared for the metaphysically minded student. In 1998, Wisdom for a Lifetime (How to Get the Bible Off the Shelf and Into Your Hands) was published by Unity Books. Since its publication, Alden traveled around the country presenting talks and workshops on the benefits of positive, practical Bible study, and was interviewed numerous times by newspapers, radio, and television about his book. To date, the book has sold over 13,000 copies.
Following the success of Wisdom for a Lifetime, he ventured into the realm of fiction with the visionary novel, The Grid, published in 2002. The Grid, set in world of the electric power business, offers a view into a future of non-polluting, sustainable energy. His father, a Purdue University trained mechanical engineer, provided him with much needed technical assistance.
In 2009, he was inspired by his Hoosier roots to write a tongue-in-cheek comedic book, Hoosieritis: The Contagious Condition That Is Indiana.
His second novel, The Fault, came out in 2011, and is set in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Alden drew from his experiences living in Los Angeles plus his interest in amateur geology.
He is also the publisher and editor of Not Just Any Bag of Bones, an autobiography written by his brother, Jonathan Studebaker, published in 2018.
In 2020-21, while in-between ministry assignments, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, he reedited and republished all five books through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. This allowed for more readable books, additional photos, and lower prices to readers. He also made the first edition audio cassette tape version of Wisdom for a Lifetime available on Audible.
His wife, Donna, became a Licensed Unity Teacher in 1985. They live in San Carlos Park, Florida (near Fort Myers). They have three adult children, Jennifer, Nathan, and Danny, all graduates of Indiana University.
Contact me at: aldenstudebaker@aol.com
In 1975, Alden graduated from Punahou School and enrolled as a chemistry major at the University of Hawaii. While attending college, Alden began to question his career track. One Sunday, while listening to the minister’s message at the Unity Church, he felt an unanticipated calling to the ministry. After wrestling with this newfound vision, he changed his major to religion, and began to move forward toward the goal of becoming a minister. In 1980, Alden received a B.A. degree with a major in religion, minor in history, magna cum laude, from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1982, he entered the Unity Ministerial School. While in school, he served as the student minister of the outreach ministry in Leavenworth, Kansas, and as a chaplain at the nearby military prison.
After his graduation and ordination in 1984, Alden served Unity ministries from California to the Midwest, specifically Vacaville, California; El Paso, Texas; La Crescenta, California; Bellevue, Washington; Cincinnati, Ohio, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. On July 15, 2021, he became the senior minister of Unity of Bonita Springs, Florida.
While on sabbatical between church assignments while living in Topeka, Kansas, Alden wrote the manuscript for a Bible handbook specifically geared for the metaphysically minded student. In 1998, Wisdom for a Lifetime (How to Get the Bible Off the Shelf and Into Your Hands) was published by Unity Books. Since its publication, Alden traveled around the country presenting talks and workshops on the benefits of positive, practical Bible study, and was interviewed numerous times by newspapers, radio, and television about his book. To date, the book has sold over 13,000 copies.
Following the success of Wisdom for a Lifetime, he ventured into the realm of fiction with the visionary novel, The Grid, published in 2002. The Grid, set in world of the electric power business, offers a view into a future of non-polluting, sustainable energy. His father, a Purdue University trained mechanical engineer, provided him with much needed technical assistance.
In 2009, he was inspired by his Hoosier roots to write a tongue-in-cheek comedic book, Hoosieritis: The Contagious Condition That Is Indiana.
His second novel, The Fault, came out in 2011, and is set in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Alden drew from his experiences living in Los Angeles plus his interest in amateur geology.
He is also the publisher and editor of Not Just Any Bag of Bones, an autobiography written by his brother, Jonathan Studebaker, published in 2018.
In 2020-21, while in-between ministry assignments, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, he reedited and republished all five books through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. This allowed for more readable books, additional photos, and lower prices to readers. He also made the first edition audio cassette tape version of Wisdom for a Lifetime available on Audible.
His wife, Donna, became a Licensed Unity Teacher in 1985. They live in San Carlos Park, Florida (near Fort Myers). They have three adult children, Jennifer, Nathan, and Danny, all graduates of Indiana University.
Contact me at: aldenstudebaker@aol.com
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 2, 2025
It was really solid in some respects. If i was a parent who didn’t know anything about medicine and was faced with a child who has a psychiatric disorder, it would be a must read. Some things were too oversimplified though. Incredible book for what it seeks to accomplish though.
June 18, 2017
Great overview of how to approach psychiatric medications for your child. Includes questions to ask the doctor, overview of disorders and symptoms helped by medication, description of the categories of medications and some of the meds themselves. The tone is helpful and hopeful.
February 21, 2022
This is a great resource for anyone who is dealing with any mental health issues with their kids. Some of the medication info is outdated, but the approached to therapy and the way it breaks it down is super helpful
September 23, 2017
Really helpful for parents who want to know more about medication options. Easy to read and understand.
December 2, 2022
This book is a must read for any parents considering medication for their children. Written with layperson language. Very helpful.
Read
June 5, 2023Recommended by my psychopharmacology professor.
March 17, 2024
Very good informative for parents, to help learn about the medications and what to look out for when it comes to side affects.
November 20, 2011
Straight Talk about Psychiatric Medications for Kids by Timothy E. Wilens is slightly dated (published in 1999 and revised in 2001), but the information presented seems solid and--like the title suggests--is presented in simple, easy-to-understand terms. It is about an 8 hour read cover-to-cover, though in most cases, parents will probably use it as a manual, flipping to the section applicable to their kids and ignoring the rest.
The first section, "The Preliminaries", is designed to calm down parents who are panicking because a doctor recommended or they themselves are being to wonder if medication is necessary for treating some sort of psychiatric issue being shown in their children. Wilens brings up several myths about psychotropic medications such as "won't taking these drugs lead to street drug abuse?" and answers them with facts (actually, leaving a disorder like depression or anxiety untreated places a child at higher risk for drug and alcohol abuse).
There is a current belief circulating that in order for a disorder to be effectively treated drugs must be used in combination with talk therapy. There is another one that talk therapy should be tried first to see it eleviates the issues before starting on medication.
Wilsen manages to address both of those beliefs (which infuriate me to know end). For disorders like anxiety and depression, talk therapy, according to Wilsen, can be extremely useful and the first thing for parents, child, and therapist to try. If it is bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, drug trials should be started right away upon diagnosis. With ADHD (the medications for which are the only ones whose effects when used on children and teens have been studied extensively), medication is not only the first course of treatment but also the only proven effective course of treatment. Studies show talk therapy and behavior modification has little to no effect on ADHD. Wilsen also mentions that children with depression or anxiety usually want to be helped, but those with bipolar disorder or some form of psychosis won't believe there is anything wrong with them, making it infinitely harder to help them.
The second section of the book lists disorders by type (mood, developmental, etc.), giving information on the disorder itself and then the courses of treatment. It was surprisingly how often a drug developed to treat one type of disorders might be able to treat another as well. Also, one drug can treat several issues--an antidepressant that causes drowsiness can be effectively used to treat depression and sleep issues if given at bedtime. On the flip side, it can take several drugs to bring a disorder under control, or one drug might be needed just to counteract the side effects of the main prescription.
Certain disorders present differently in children than they do in adults. Bipolar disorder--instead of swinging back and forth between mania and depression the way adults do--usually manifests as depression with horrible agitation and an out of control feeling in children as symptoms of both poles are experienced at the same time. Depression in children is usually longer lasting, less likely to just go away, and less responsive to treatment.
Section three is devoted to psychotropic medications. An explanation of schedule two and schedule four drugs and how they are controlled by the government and pharmacies is given. Then it goes through the different classes of drugs (stimulants, antipsychotics, anxiety-breaking, etc.) and gives a brief description of how the drugs as a class work before then describing several of the common drugs on the market. It even talks about using Bendryl as a sleep aid.
The last part of the book appendix of common psychotropic drugs, the range of dosages usually prescribed, and what form the medicine comes in (pills, chewable tablets, injectable liquid, nasal spray, etc.) also with some blank medication logs.
Overall, easy to understand and chock full of useful information.
The first section, "The Preliminaries", is designed to calm down parents who are panicking because a doctor recommended or they themselves are being to wonder if medication is necessary for treating some sort of psychiatric issue being shown in their children. Wilens brings up several myths about psychotropic medications such as "won't taking these drugs lead to street drug abuse?" and answers them with facts (actually, leaving a disorder like depression or anxiety untreated places a child at higher risk for drug and alcohol abuse).
There is a current belief circulating that in order for a disorder to be effectively treated drugs must be used in combination with talk therapy. There is another one that talk therapy should be tried first to see it eleviates the issues before starting on medication.
Wilsen manages to address both of those beliefs (which infuriate me to know end). For disorders like anxiety and depression, talk therapy, according to Wilsen, can be extremely useful and the first thing for parents, child, and therapist to try. If it is bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, drug trials should be started right away upon diagnosis. With ADHD (the medications for which are the only ones whose effects when used on children and teens have been studied extensively), medication is not only the first course of treatment but also the only proven effective course of treatment. Studies show talk therapy and behavior modification has little to no effect on ADHD. Wilsen also mentions that children with depression or anxiety usually want to be helped, but those with bipolar disorder or some form of psychosis won't believe there is anything wrong with them, making it infinitely harder to help them.
The second section of the book lists disorders by type (mood, developmental, etc.), giving information on the disorder itself and then the courses of treatment. It was surprisingly how often a drug developed to treat one type of disorders might be able to treat another as well. Also, one drug can treat several issues--an antidepressant that causes drowsiness can be effectively used to treat depression and sleep issues if given at bedtime. On the flip side, it can take several drugs to bring a disorder under control, or one drug might be needed just to counteract the side effects of the main prescription.
Certain disorders present differently in children than they do in adults. Bipolar disorder--instead of swinging back and forth between mania and depression the way adults do--usually manifests as depression with horrible agitation and an out of control feeling in children as symptoms of both poles are experienced at the same time. Depression in children is usually longer lasting, less likely to just go away, and less responsive to treatment.
Section three is devoted to psychotropic medications. An explanation of schedule two and schedule four drugs and how they are controlled by the government and pharmacies is given. Then it goes through the different classes of drugs (stimulants, antipsychotics, anxiety-breaking, etc.) and gives a brief description of how the drugs as a class work before then describing several of the common drugs on the market. It even talks about using Bendryl as a sleep aid.
The last part of the book appendix of common psychotropic drugs, the range of dosages usually prescribed, and what form the medicine comes in (pills, chewable tablets, injectable liquid, nasal spray, etc.) also with some blank medication logs.
Overall, easy to understand and chock full of useful information.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2013
I would consider this a must read for anyone considering medication for their children. It really is direct and gives a clear explanation for how the medications work, what kind of side affects to expect and how to weigh the benefits vs. risk. I felt extremely prepared to talk to my doctor about medication for Carver after reading this. It helped me make a better decision and understand the science behind medication.
December 7, 2007
Medication is very real and as much as you might want to pursue other methods of treatment, some will have to treat the illness with both therapy and medication. Well, get educated on what you are taking or what you are going to be giving to your child. Keep in mind that a lot of these drugs are untested on children and yet they are used regularly in treatment.
Read
December 10, 2012I decided not to read it after all.
July 7, 2015
Very useful. Very informative. Great resource.
Want to Read
August 14, 2017(Look for 2016 edition, not the 90's one)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews