Pharmacotherapy in Neurobehavioral Paediatrics

This book is a concise, practice-based guide for clinicians navigating psychopharmacological treatment in children and adolescents with behavioural and neurodevelopmental challenges. Drawing on years of clinical experience across Australian public and private practice, the author bridges the gap between rigid guidelines and the nuanced realities of everyday paediatric care. The chapters cover topics such as the use of SSRIs, stimulants, alpha-2 agonists, atypical antipsychotics, and other psychotropics, providing practical insights, common pitfalls, and strategies for real-world prescribing. Readers will find clear frameworks like the Rule of 3, detoxing strategies, and Plan B/C options to manage polypharmacy and treatment resistance. This book emphasizes shared decision-making, monitoring, pharmacogenetics, and holistic supports that protect long-term wellbeing. Unique in its pragmatic, story-informed approach, this volume is not a guideline but a companion—offering clinicians the kind of applied knowledge that can only be gained from years of frontline practice. Pharmacotherapy in Neurobehavioral Paediatrics is designed for early-career paediatricians, advanced trainees in general or developmental paediatrics, and general practitioners. Educated parents of children on medications for neurodivergent diagnoses, as well as allied health practitioners, will also find it valuable. It fills a major training gap in Australian paediatrics by providing practical, experience-based guidance on psychopharmacotherapy for neurobehavioural challenges. With clear frameworks, real-world case insights, and a strength-based approach, this text equips trainees with the confidence, safety principles, and clinical nuance needed to prescribe responsibly and support children’s long-term wellbeing.