Psychotropic medication monitoring
Learn how Child and Parent Resource Institute approaches psychotropic medication and side effect monitoring in children and youth receiving treatment. The tools and resources listed may also support prescribers and professionals working with children and youth whose treatment involves psychotropic medication.
Overview
The term psychotropic medication describes a large group of substances which are capable of affecting the human mind. Psychotropic medications work by altering the natural levels or balances of certain chemicals in the human body. These changes in brain and body chemistry can modify human perception and behaviour. Psychotropic medications are most commonly prescribed in association with mental health related issues including: anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, ADHD, schizophrenia and mania.
Common categories of psychotropic medication include: antipsychotics, antidepressants, stimulants, anti-anxiety medications, mood stabilizers, and sedatives. Some psychotropic medications also have applications in the treatment of other health issues.
Psychotropic Medication Safety
Like all medications, psychotropic medications have side effects, some of which are minor and get better over time, and some of which can be quite serious. Because each individual may react slightly differently to a particular medication, it is important to keep track of treatment progress. Regular monitoring of any side effects experienced can assist care-providers to optimize and ensure the safety of medication-based treatment.
It is important that the people who care for your child communicate with each other about the psychotropic medications your child or youth is taking. The resources on this page will help you learn about medication safety and ways to monitor side effects.
Psychotropic Medications & Client- and Family- Centred Care
It is important to communicate with the child/youth and caregivers when prescribing psychotropic medications.
- What are the most important side effects that the child/youth/caregiver need to know about?
- What multi-drug interactions does the child/youth/caregiver need to be aware of?
- How will the child/youth/caregiver track medication side effects? How can they communicate this information with the prescriber?
- How will the child/youth/caregiver track medication efficacy? How can they communicate this information with the prescriber?
- When will the child/youth/caregiver follow up with the prescriber?
- What are alternatives to medication that the child/youth/caregiver need to be aware of?
Resources for families
Psychotropic medication organizer
A tool to help you keep track of medications prescribed, what they are intended to treat, and any concerns or questions to ask the doctor.
Websites
- Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health: Psychotropic Medication Materials
- Facts for Youth about mixing Medicine, Booze and Street Drugs: DrugCocktails.ca
- Teenmentalhealth.org
- Your Ontario Community Pharmacist: College of Pharmacists Member/Pharmacy Search
- Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University: Resource Library.
Resources for professionals
Psychotropic medication monitoring checklists (PMMC) & manual
A method to monitor side effects
Psychotropic medication organizer
A tool to help you keep track of medications prescribed, what they are intended to treat, and any concerns or questions to ask the doctor.
Online resources
- Canadian Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (CACAP): Policies & Guidelines
- Canadian Alliance for Monitoring Effectiveness and Safety of Antipsychotics in Children (CAMESA)
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP): Clinical Practice Center
- Medscape: Drug Interaction Checker
- Suicide Risk Management from Epocrates
- Your Ontario Community Pharmacist: College of Pharmacists Member/Pharmacy Search
Publications
- Psychotropic medication monitoring checklists: Use and utility for children in residential care.
Ninan, A., Stewart, S. L., Theall, L., King, G., Evans, R., Baiden, P., & Brown, A. (2014). - Adverse Effects of Psychotropic Medications in Children: Predictive Factors.
Ninan, A., Stewart, S. L., Theall, L. A., Katuwapitiya, S., & Kam, C. (2014)
Information for prescribers
- Canadian Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (CACAP): Policies & Guidelines
- Canadian Alliance for Monitoring Effectiveness and Safety of Antipsychotics in Children (CAMESA)
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP): Clinical Practice Center
- Medscape: Drug Interaction Checker
- Suicide Risk Management from Epocrates
- Your Ontario Community Pharmacist: College of Pharmacists Member/Pharmacy Search
Psychotropic medication reference list
This is a list contains additional published works for medical professionals learning about psychotropic medication safety.
- Practice parameters on the use of psychotropic medication in children and adolescents. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). (2009).
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(9), 961- 973. - Psychotropic medication use in Canada.
Beck, C. A., Williams, J. V., Wang, J. L., & Kassam, A. (2005). Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 50(10), 605. - Clinical handbook of psychotropic drugs for children and adolescents.
Bezchlibnyk-Butler, K. Z., & Virani, A. S. (2007). Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers. - National trends in child and adolescent psychotropic polypharmacy in office-based practice, 1996-2007.
Comer, J. S., Olfson, M., & Mojtabai, R. (2010). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(10), 1001-1010. - Recognizing and monitoring adverse events of second-generation antipsychotics in children and adolescents.
Correll, C. U., Penzner, J. B., Parikh, U. H., Mughal, T., Javed, T., Carbon, M., & Malhotra, A. K. (2006). Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 15(1), 177–206. - Survey of atypical antipsychotic prescribing by Canadian child psychiatrists and developmental pediatricians for patients aged under 18 years.
Doey, T., Handelman, K., Seabrook, J. A., & Steele, M. (2007). Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 52(6), 363-368. - National trends in the use of psychotropic medications by children.
Olfson, M., Marcus, S. C., Weissman, M. M., & Jensen, P. S. (2002).Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(5), 514-521. - How can we improve the assessment of safety in child and adolescent psychopharmacology?
Vitiello, B., Riddle, M. A., Greenhill, L. L., March, J. S., Levine, J., Schachar, R. J., … & Capasso, L. (2003). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42(6), 634-641. - Troubling trends in prescribing for children. Waddell, C., Schwartz, C., Barican, J., Gray-Grant, D., Mughal, S., & Nightingale, L. (2013).
Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly, 7(4), 1–20. Vancouver, BC: Children’s Health Policy Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University. - Off-label psychopharmacologic prescribing for children: History supports close clinical monitoring.
Zito, J. M., Derivan, A. T., Kratochvil, C. J., Safer, D. J., Fegert, J. M., & Greenhill, L. L. (2008). Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2, 24. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(9), 961- 973. - Psychotropic medication use in Canada.
Beck, C. A., Williams, J. V., Wang, J. L., & Kassam, A. (2005). Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 50(10), 605. - Clinical handbook of psychotropic drugs for children and adolescents.
Bezchlibnyk-Butler, K. Z., & Virani, A. S. (2007). Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers. - National trends in child and adolescent psychotropic polypharmacy in office-based practice, 1996-2007.
Comer, J. S., Olfson, M., & Mojtabai, R. (2010). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(10), 1001-1010. - Recognizing and monitoring adverse events of second-generation antipsychotics in children and adolescents.
Correll, C. U., Penzner, J. B., Parikh, U. H., Mughal, T., Javed, T., Carbon, M., & Malhotra, A. K. (2006). Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 15(1), 177–206. - Survey of atypical antipsychotic prescribing by Canadian child psychiatrists and developmental pediatricians for patients aged under 18 years.
Doey, T., Handelman, K., Seabrook, J. A., & Steele, M. (2007). Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 52(6), 363-368. - National trends in the use of psychotropic medications by children.
Olfson, M., Marcus, S. C., Weissman, M. M., & Jensen, P. S. (2002).Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(5), 514-521. - How can we improve the assessment of safety in child and adolescent psychopharmacology?
Vitiello, B., Riddle, M. A., Greenhill, L. L., March, J. S., Levine, J., Schachar, R. J., … & Capasso, L. (2003). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42(6), 634-641. - Troubling trends in prescribing for children. Waddell, C., Schwartz, C., Barican, J., Gray-Grant, D., Mughal, S., & Nightingale, L. (2013).
Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly, 7(4), 1–20. Vancouver, BC: Children’s Health Policy Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University. - Off-label psychopharmacologic prescribing for children: History supports close clinical monitoring.
Zito, J. M., Derivan, A. T., Kratochvil, C. J., Safer, D. J., Fegert, J. M., & Greenhill, L. L. (2008). Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2, 24.