“Help your teen track the frequency of a breakthrough symptom so that the psychiatrist can determine if things are worsening or remaining steady.”You may be worried if your teen experiences breakthrough symptoms while on their medication. For example, a teen might have some depression every afternoon even though their antidepressant has worked reliably for several months. A teen with schizophrenia who has found peace on an antipsychotic may hear a voice once every two weeks. While this may worry you, chances are that a reliable medicine will continue to be serve your teen well. First, check to make sure of the following:
- Is your teen taking the medicine at the same time every day, never missing doses?
- If your teen takes more than one dose per day, are the dose times evenly spaced so that there are no gaps in the activation of the medicine?
- If the medicine requires that food be taken along with it, is your teen consuming a sufficient number of calories?
- Has there been additional stress in your teen’s life?
- Has your teen grown and needs a dosage adjustment?
Some teens choose to live with occasional breakthrough symptoms, especially if the medicine is generally agreeable and the symptom is not too bothersome. For example, the teen who feels a stab of depression every afternoon may be able to shake it off with a short walk. This may be preferable to dealing with a higher dosage that may incite an undesirable side effect.
Help your teen track the frequency of a breakthrough symptom so that the psychiatrist can determine if things are worsening or remaining steady. See if your teen can identify a way to cope with the symptom. If your teen is worried about it, call the doctor. A teen who has been through a hard recovery may be scared and need the reassurance that they’re not relapsing.
“…you could be saving a life…”