INTRODUCTION
School and going out with my friends used to be fun, but not anymore. Mom keeps telling me just to go out and have fun, but I don’t see the point of trying. All my friends are better than I am. I keep having these headaches and just feel worthless. I used to get As and Bs in school, but not anymore. I can’t concentrate at school. I would rather be at home sleeping.
—Madison, age 16
Mood and anxiety disorders can be particularly challenging to address in childhood and adolescence for many reasons. Children may not be able to fully express or understand their feelings and behaviors. Parents may misattribute or not recognize signs and symptoms. The symptoms of disorders also vary when present in children as opposed to adults. The PMHNP needs to know how to diagnose these conditions and must understand the importance of integrating medication management strategies with both individual and family therapy to optimize treatment outcomes.
Assignment and instructions:
TO PREPARE
By Day 1, your Instructor will assign a mood or anxiety disorder diagnosis for you to use for this Assignment.
Research signs and symptoms for your diagnosis, pharmacological treatments, nonpharmacological treatments, and appropriate community resources and referrals
THE ASSIGNMENT – Major Depressive Disorder
In a 300- to 500-word blog post written for a patient and/or caregiver audience, explain signs and symptoms for your diagnosis, pharmacological treatments, nonpharmacological treatments, and appropriate community resources and referrals.
Although you are not required to respond to colleagues, collegial discussion is welcome.
Learning resources:
Required Reading:
• Hilt, R. J., & Nussbaum, A. M. (2016). DSM-5 pocket guide for child and adolescent mental healthLinks to an external site.. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
o Chapter 3, “Common Clinical Concerns”
o Chapter 7, “A Brief Version of DSM-5″
o Chapter 8, “A stepwise approach to Differential Diagnosis”
o Chapter 10, “Selected DSM-5 Assessment Measures”
o Chapter 11, “Rating Scales and Alternative Diagnostic Systems”Links to an external site.
• Shoemaker, S. J., Wolf, M. S., & Brach, C. (2014). The patient education materials assessment tool (PEMAT) and user’s guideLinks to an external site.. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. https://www.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/publications/files/pemat_guide.pdfLinks to an external site.
• Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Wiley Blackwell.
•
o Chapter 60, “Anxiety Disorders”
o Chapter 61, “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”
o Chapter 62, “Bipolar Disorder in Childhood”
o Chapter 63, “Depressive Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence”
Required Media:
• Mood Disorders Association of BC. (2014, November 20). Children in depressionLinks to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Qg-BBKB1nJcLinks to an external site.
• Psych Hub Education. (2020, January 7). LGBTQ youthLinks to an external site.: Learning to listen. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn4AVjMMYX4
Medication Review:
Depression:
escitalopram (age 12–17)
fluoxetine (age 8–17)
Rubic:
NRNP_6665_Week5_Assignment_Rubric