• Approximately 11% of U.S. children have significant mental or or addictive disorders that cause serious impairment
• Mental disorders in children may present different symptoms than those in adults
• When children are given psychotropic medication, active monitoring by all caretakers (parents, teachers, and others who have charge of the child) is essential
• Children should be watched and questioned for side effects because many children, especially younger ones, do not volunteer information.
• Children should be monitored to see that they are actually taking the medication and taking the proper dosage, on the correct schedule. 
• A physician may prescribe to young children medication that has been FDA approved for use in adults or older children.
• Most medications prescribed for childhood mental disorders, including many of the newer medications that are proving helpful, are prescribed "off-label" because only a few have been studied for safety and efficacy in children.
• Medications listed in this section will be listed according to to the age approved for their use

Note:  Information is this section is based on an NIMH publication on medication produced in 2007.