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If you go in for your first appointment and they do not offer to perform an EEG and possibly a few blood tests then their methods may not be up to par. 3) Make sure that your home is a safe one to live in. Don't keep medications that may seem tempting for a teen to experiment with in an accessible place. Even if this constitutes locking them up. 4) Monitor even the medication your teen may be taking. If it is determined that your child may need medication make sure they are not over taking those medications. Kids will try just about anything to catch a little buzz. 5)Make sure that if your teen gets to a point where they think they can do without that medication you give it a chance. If it doesn't work out and they need to restart the prescription you need to have a sensible argument and valid reason as to why you think the medication is needed. Don't try to bully them into going back on it, this never works.

However, one of the most important factors, to be blunt, is very simple. We have to remember while raising our children that no matter how much we think they don't notice things, they see it all. If you are a parent and you have your vices that you take advantage of, our kids notice. When mom comes home from a hard day at work and has a few glasses of wine or daddy has a few beers. When we get back from a hard day and need to take that one vicodin or xanax just to calm down and relax for the night, our teens see it. It may seem like a harmless thing but, what we do not realize at the time is that we are showing them how to numb themselves, legal or not, we are setting that example. We must remember to lead by our own examples. This can play a bigger role in their lives than anything else.

I for one am all for teenagers being evaluated for the use of medication to help them through their teenage years, if that is what is needed. We have found through time that adolescence can be the most traumatic time emotionally for teens. However, I am also a believer in the "better safe that sorry" logic of things too. No matter how much we trust our little darlings to do the right thing they will always have those impulsive moments that no one can predict.

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