Although pharmacotherapy is often used for treating different types of psychiatric disorders in children, there are many concerns associated with taking psychotropic medications by young persons. First, the problem is in the fact that rapid development is typical for children’s organisms, and the use of psychotropic drugs can adversely affect successful physical and emotional development. On the other hand, the specifics of children’s neurodevelopment can also influence the effectiveness of the used psychotropic medications (Dutta, 2007, p. 1017). As a result, the dosage of the drug and individual treatment plans should be regularly monitored and revised according to the changes in the children’s response to the used medication. From this point, the social workers’ effective support and the constant monitoring related to treatments are expected.
The second main problem is the lack of adequate research in using psychotropic medications for treating disorders in children. This concern is closely associated with a range of ethical issues faced by a specialist who proposes pharmacotherapy for children suffering from psychiatric disorders. While prescribing psychotropic medications, it is important to make the appropriate dose decision to guarantee positive effects and avoid negative side effects (Bentley & Walsh, 2013, p. 156). The lack of research in children makes specialists prescribe the required dose based on the results of studies in adults. In this case, it is difficult to predict processes associated with pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and prevent negative consequences of ineffective doses for children (Dutta, 2007, p. 1017). To decrease the risk of adverse effects of psychotropic medications for young persons, it is important to choose between psychotropic drugs and alternatives in each concrete situation.
References
Bentley, K., & Walsh, J. (2013). The social worker and psychotropic medication: Toward effective collaboration with clients, families, and providers. New York, NY: Cengage Learning.
Dutta, A. (2007). Advances in pediatrics. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Publishers.