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My Health
Does your child have attention-defcit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD)? Most children who take drugs
prescribed by a doctor for ADHD fnd that the right
dose helps them greatly with only mild side efects. To
fgure out what amount is right, your child’s doctor may
have to make dose changes or try diferent drugs. To be
safe when using ADHD drugs:
•
Te child must take the drug
exactly as it is prescribed
.
•
When a child frst starts on an ADHD drug, parents
should
set up an ofce visit within the frst month
with the doctor who prescribed the drug
. Tis helps
ensure that the medication is working well.
•
Pay attention to how your child frst responds to
the drug
. Ask his or her teacher as well. Since the
best dose of each drug is not decided by a child’s size
or weight alone, reports from parents and teachers
help the doctor make sure that the child is receiving
the right dose.
•
Track progress using the drug over a period of
time
. Tere are checklists and rating scales that
can help you do this. Ask the doctor about how
to get them.
•
See the doctor who prescribed the drug at least two
more times within the next nine months
to help
ensure that the drug is working well. Tese two visits
could happen during well-visit checkups.
Need extra help?
The Care Management program can help. Care managers, who are registered nurses or other health care professionals, are
here to help when you have a serious health condition or unexpected medical event. This program comes at no cost to you.
You, your family and your doctors work with a care manager who will give you telephone support at a time that works best
for you. This program is private and voluntary and gives you extra support when you need it most. To be part of it, you can
self-refer or your caregiver can refer you. The care manager will work with you to help you manage your condition, answer
questions about your benefts, and help you fgure out what support and care you need. To learn more or be part of the
program, call us toll-free at
1-888-334-0870
. Members with hearing or speech loss: call the TTY line at
1-888-757-6034
.
Just what the doctor prescribed!
When your doctor prescribes a certain drug, be sure to fnd out what you need to know
before
you leave the doctor’s offce.
•
•
Ask what the common side effects are.
•
•
Repeat back to the PCP or doctor what you are told about what the medicine is for and when and how to take it. That way you
know you understood what the doctor told you.
•
•
When you see the doctor, bring along the bottles for all medicines you take. Be sure to include any you buy over the counter at the
drug store (even those for weight loss, cold, cough or allergy). Be sure to list vitamins, herbs or homemade remedies too.
•
•
If you are afraid of a medicine or afraid of becoming addicted to it, talk with your doctor.
•
•
Call the prescribing doctor if you think you are having side effects or want to stop taking a prescribed medicine.
Share for better care
When you see a specialist or go to the emergency room,
are you telling your PCP? Making sure your PCP and
specialists all know about all the care you get helps the
doctors so you don’t have to go through the same tests
twice. And that saves time and money. It helps to make
sure you have the best outcome for your health concern.
You play a big role in making sure you get the right care
for any problems you have.
Be sure to:
•
•
Share the names of each of your other doctors and
other types of health care providers with all of the
doctors who give you care.
•
•
Tell your doctors, especially your PCP, when you are
prescribed medicine from more than one doctor, are
hospitalized or see a specialist.
•
•
Sign a consent form for the release of medical records
so your information can be shared by different doctors
and providers.
Remember to share for better care.
New treatments
and procedures
We work to stay informed about medical advances. So we
make policies to address new drugs, devices and treatments.
Teams of health care professionals look at medical,
behavioral health and drug policies on a regular basis.
To make decisions about what medical technology will be
covered, we consult:
•
•
Medical journals.
•
•
Government policies and procedures.
•
•
Doctors and health experts.
•
•
The latest medical studies.
You can fnd more about this in your Member Handbook.
ADHD drugs:
what you
should know
What to expect
As children grow, the dose is expected to change. It’s
important to see the doctor for well visits and use this
time to talk about any ADHD drug your child takes.
•
Tell the child’s doctor if your child is taking other
medicines (even those sold over the counter),
vitamins or supplements.
•
Watch how well your child progresses in school, at
home and overall.
•
Call the doctor who prescribed the drug if you have
any concerns or questions.
Source: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry website:
Practice Parameters for the Assessment and Treatment of Children and
Adolescents with ADHD
(2007): aacap.org