Best Practices in Assessing and Intervening with Children with Math Disorders

State of the Evidence for Use of Psychotropic Medications in School-Age Youth

“…Although practice parameters provide guidance with aspects of managing plans for children with certain educational eligibility and/or medical diagnoses and/or administering medications to children at school, district policies and local, state, and federal law may dictate the ability to apply or synthesize best practices between school and outside medical professionals. There may be district and/or state or federal laws that prohibit school involvement with referral or consultation regarding psychoactive medications [ 125 ]. Section 300.174 “Prohibition on mandatory medication” of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) prohibits state personnel from requiring parents to obtain prescription medications for a child attending school.…”

“…Carlson and Shahidullah [ 125 ] recommend that certain assumptions may need to be met in order best guide evaluating the effects of psychotropic medications in schools including (a) a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment plan by a qualified health professional, (b) behaviorally-based interventions have been developed at home and school and that the timing and order of interventions are ultimately the choices of the family, (c) families receive psychoeducation regarding all empirically supported treatments, (d) parents allowed to make the decision to seek medication treatment for their child without influence or pressure from the school, (e) parents’ consent to the sharing of information between the school and medical team and (f) release of information is secured to ensure an understanding of open lines of communication between parents, the school and medical providers.…”