Should My Child Try Medication? What Parents Need to Know Before, During, and Beyond the First Prescription

Considering medication for your child can bring up a lot of questions: Could it help? What are the possible downsides? If we start, how will we know whether it’s working, and how long my child might need it?

Join Neuropsychologist Jessica Randel Janicola, PhD, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Sarah Cohen, PhD, for a balanced conversation about how families and clinicians make medication decisions for children and teens, including those with developmental or other support needs.

They’ll explain what to expect before starting medication, how a plan is monitored and adjusted, and how medication can fit alongside therapy, behavioral strategies, and school supports. Medication decisions and timelines vary by child and condition, so the discussion will focus on how to make or revisit a plan with your child’s care team.

Parents will learn how to:

• Weigh potential benefits, side effects, and other concerns when medication is recommended.
• Ask useful questions before a first prescription, including what goals the medication is meant to address and what other options to consider.
• Track changes in symptoms, daily functioning, and side effects at home and school so follow-up visits are more productive.
• Understand why doses or medications may change over time, and how families and clinicians discuss whether to continue or stop treatment.
• Build a coordinated plan that includes the other supports their child needs.

Register to leave with clearer questions, practical ways to monitor progress, and more confidence discussing next steps with your child’s providers.