Parents often feel overwhelmed by the idea of medication for their child—unsure when it’s necessary, whether it will change their child, or if it means things have become ‘that bad.’ This article explains how medication can be one part of a larger, integrated care plan and why pairing it with therapy and skill development can actually reduce long-term reliance on medication. We will break down when medication helps, what questions to ask, and how parents can make decisions based on facts, not on fear.
What you’ll learn:
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (2023), nearly 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 have been diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or behavioral health condition during their life. With these rising numbers, many parents find themselves asking: Is medication the right choice for my child?
The resistance to medication for children isn’t entirely unfounded. High-profile news stories about overprescription have left many parents wary of reliance on medication as a quick fix. But despite occasional media controversy, research indicates that overall rates of prescriptions for children have not significantly increased in recent years.
Yes, there are a lot of opinion pieces out there, each with their own agenda. But the only agenda that really matters is supporting your child's wellbeing with decisions based on evidence, not headlines.
Symptom severity and impact: Whether your child’s symptoms significantly affect their daily functioning, relationships (including with family), or school performance.
Ability to engage in therapy: If your child's symptoms negatively impact their ability to participate in therapy. For example:
In these cases, medication can create a “therapeutic window”—a state where symptoms are managed enough for a child to learn and practice important skills.
Treatment response: If therapy alone hasn't provided sufficient improvement after 8-12 weeks of consistent intervention.
Condition type: Some conditions, like bipolar disorder or psychotic disorders, will almost always require medication as part of effective treatment.
In all of these cases, the medication is prescribed through a thoughtful and methodical process. It should not be the sole method of treatment. Medication creates a stable foundation in therapy, which allows the child to reflect, focus, learn, and retain new coping skills and long-term strategies. In fact, studies show that medication in combination with other evidence-based therapies can be more effective than therapy alone.
Therapy isn’t just talking to someone in confidence. Therapy teaches children the tools to self-reflect, manage their emotions, solve problems, communicate effectively, and adapt to challenges. By teaching children the skills they need to navigate situations that may trigger adverse reactions, we are providing them the tools that medication alone cannot.
As an aside, I believe all children can benefit from learning DBT skills. Everyone can benefit from learning how to identify and regulate their emotions and engage in conflict resolution, compromise, and assertiveness. These are life skills that serve children well into adulthood.
Quality treatment doesn’t just suppress symptoms. While the reduction of classroom disruptions, meltdowns, or anxiety attacks represents important progress, effective mental health care aims much higher. The real measure of success lies in whether your child is developing the skills and confidence they need to navigate life's challenges.
Building confidence and resilience in daily life
Even small victories matter enormously. When your child successfully handles an unexpected change, works through a stressful situation, or bounces back from a setback, they’re demonstrating resilience. These moments show that treatment is helping your child develop internal resources they can draw upon throughout their lives. Celebrating these moments helps children develop self-awareness of their own growth.
Improved quality of life indicators
Look for signs your child is becoming more engaged with the world around them. Are they making friends? Pursuing interests? Participating in activities they enjoy? The ability to form relationships, explore personal interests, and experience joy are big green light indicators of wellbeing. It’s important to help your child pause and take a moment to recognize what this wellbeing feels like and to reinforce what behaviors may have helped contribute to that positive feeling.
Supporting healthy developmental progress
Mental health challenges can temporarily interrupt normal childhood development. Meaningful treatment helps children catch up on skills or milestones, allowing them to continue growing emotionally, cognitively, and socially at an age-appropriate pace.
Many parents worry about "trial and error," but good monitoring follows a clear process that reduces uncertainty and prioritizes safety. Your provider should take a thorough history upfront to try and find the correct match the first time–which is often successful. If the first medication isn’t the best fit, your provider will work with you and your child to find the right one.
When treating children the model is to start low and go slow. This is even more so the case with kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder plus a co-occurring condition. In these cases it is recommended to start at really small doses, have frequent check-ins to assess both the response and for any negative side effects to make sure the child is comfortable.
Here’s what you can expect:
Your provider should walk you through the medication options and explain their thinking, give you a sense of how long treatment might last, and discuss what happens if the first medication isn’t the right fit. Good medication monitoring pays attention to whether your child is making friends and enjoying activities in addition to whether or not symptoms have improved. Remission is not only looking at the actual symptoms being better. We want to see quality of life improving too.
Your child’s medical provider and therapist should stay in touch regularly. Sometimes during deeper therapy work, your child’s symptoms might temporarily get a bit worse as they process difficult feelings. This is completely normal and doesn’t automatically mean the medication needs changing.
When medication is recommended for your child, you should expect a thorough, collaborative process. Helpful questions to ask your provider are:
About the diagnosis and treatment plan
About the specific medication
About monitoring and adjustments
About integrated care
If you don't understand something or need more time to decide, say so. Starting medication should feel like a well-informed choice, not something you're being pushed into.
When a family comes to Blackbird Health, we don't jump straight to medication decisions. Instead, we begin with comprehensive evaluation because understanding the full picture is essential for effective treatment. This means examining not just the presenting symptoms, but the child as a whole person within their unique context.
Our assessment process recognizes that mental health doesn't exist in isolation. Physical health factors can significantly affect mood and focus, while many children actually have multiple diagnoses that interact with each other. Family dynamics, environmental influences, developmental stage, and sensory needs all play crucial roles in how a child experiences and manages their mental health. We also take inventory of what's already working, identifying existing coping skills and pinpointing where additional support is needed.
What does our whole-child approach mean for your family? Most of our patients (85%) see real improvement in 6-12 weeks with fewer medication needed. By identifying and treating all the factors affecting your child—including co-occurring conditions that others might miss—we prescribe 50% fewer medications than the national average while achieving better outcomes.
By integrating various disciplines like medical professionals, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, and therapists with diverse specialties, Blackbird meets the needs of each patient with a collaborative approach. Each child’s Care Team works together to provide effective and tailored treatments that address their needs and lead to better outcomes.
The Blackbird Health model includes several integrated disciplines:
Parents should feel empowered, not fearful, when considering medication for their child. At Blackbird Health, medication is thoughtfully integrated as one part of a larger, interdisciplinary care plan, always paired with therapy and skill development. This approach improves outcomes and reduces the likelihood of long-term medication dependence. By asking the right questions and partnering with a collaborative care team, you can make informed, supportive decisions that help your children thrive.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Consult with your child's healthcare provider or a mental health professional for personalized guidance.