While not a substitute for professional medical advice, this book is a source of information about common medical conditions that teens often face. The medications that are commonly prescribed for that condition are listed along with a description of how the medication works in the body, the brand name and generic or chemical ingredients for the medication, and the common side effects and possible interactions with food and other drugs. Additionally, strategies for coping with the stigma associated with taking medications for chronic conditions are included. The goal of this book is to inform the teen about the medications, enabling the teen to be an active participant in his or her treatment with medications. For example, a suggested list of questions to ask the doctor or pharmacist is provided. Questions such as "What food, drinks, or other medications should I avoid while taking this medication?" "What do I do if I miss a dose?" "What are the possible side effects, and which side effects should I report and which should I ignore?" "How long before I see positive effects and know that the medication is working?" By thinking about his or her lifestyle, the teen will be alert to anything that could affect the medication and symptoms that signal side effects or possible other problems with the medication. Being well informed and playing an active role in the decision-making process can help teens to feel more in control of their medical conditions. Medication issues such as dealing with several different doctors or specialists, taking several different medications, why not to order medications from another country or from the web, taking medications when pregnant or nursing, donating blood while taking certain medications, driving, and traveling and taking medications are addressed. This useful reference concludes with an example medication diary, encouraging teens to monitor their medications and any side effects; a glossary; a drug list, arranged alphabetically and listing the generic, brand name, type,

 

 

This book is part of a book series called It Happened To Me .

There are 248 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2004 by Scarecrow Press .

Cheryl Gerson Tuttle has more than thirty years of experience in education, counseling and advocacy. She is co-author of five other books including Thinking Games to Play with Your Child, Parenting a Child with a Learning Disability, Challenging Voices, Parenting a Child with a Behavior Problem, and Learning Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide.

This book has the following chapters: Part 1 Acknowledgments Part 2 Foreword Part 3 Introduction Chapter 4 The Hows and Whys of Taking Medication Part 5 THE A TO Z GUIDE TO ILLNESSES AND DISABILITIES AND THE MEDICATIONS USED FOR THEM Chapter 6 2 Acne Chapter 7 3 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Chapter 8 4 Allergies Chapter 9 5 Anxiety Disorders Chapter 10 6 Asthma Chapter 11 7 Depression Chapter 12 8 Diabetes Chapter 13 9 Eating Disorders Chapter 14 10 Eczema Chapter 15 11 Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Chapter 16 12 Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) Chapter 17 13 Kidney Disease Chapter 18 14 Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - SLE) Chapter 19 15 Migraines Chapter 20 16 Seizure Disorders Chapter 21 17 Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Chapter 22 18 Tourette Syndrome (TS) Part 23 Glossary: Terms Related to Medications and Conditions Included in This Book Part 24 List of Medications by Generic Name Part 25 Medication Diary Part 26 Bibliography Part 27 Index Part 28 About the Author