Deciding whether to give your child medication for an emotional or behavioral problem is one of the toughest choices a parent can face. Will medication really help? How long will it be needed? The doctor may say it's perfectly safe—but what about the news stories about overuse and risks? From experienced child psychiatrist Dr. Timothy Wilens, this bestselling guide has already empowered many tens of thousands of parents to become active, informed managers of their children's care. Dr. Wilens explains how medications work; their impact on kids' emotions, personality, school performance, and health; the risks and benefits of widely used antidepressants; and much more.

New in the Third Edition: The fully updated third edition details the latest advances in treating specific disorders—with significant new information on bipolar disorder and ADHD—and offers up-to-date answers to parents' frequently asked questions.

316 pgs

"A godsend for parents looking for answers. Wilens takes the mystery out of medication."

-Time

"An informative guidebook....The author's straight talk about medications will help parents become 'informed collaborators' in their child's psychiatric care."

-Publishers Weekly

"Should medication be used to help my child, and what are the risks and the benefits?' Parents need wonder no longer. The best answers science has at its disposal are right here."

-Russell A. Barkley, PhD, author of Taking Charge of ADHD

"This book—a virtual teaching manual—uses a no-frills approach to providing an affordable wealth of information....An excellent supplement to the doctor visit. It is concise, well organized, and very easy to use."

-NAMI Advocate (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

"The title says it all. Dr. Wilens arms parents with the knowledge they need to understand the risks, benefits, and role of psychiatric medications for children, and enables them to make informed decisions. He is wonderfully successful in combining his expertise and clinical experience into a practical resource for parents."

-Christopher J. Kratochvil, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center

"Parents considering psychiatric medication treatment for their son or daughter often face a bewildering array of conflicting information—and misinformation—from family, friends, and media. Dr. Wilens, a top-notch psychopharmacologist, provides detailed, clearly understandable, research-based guidance on the pros and cons of various treatment options."

-Thomas E. Brown, PhD, Associate Director, Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders, Yale University School of Medicine