p

Examine Case Study: An African American Child Suffering From Depression.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The client is an 8-year-old African American male who arrives at the ER with his mother. He is exhibiting signs of depression.

·  Client complained of feeling “sad”

·  Mother reports that teacher said child is withdrawn from peers in class

·  Mother notes decreased appetite and occasional periods of irritation

·  Client reached all developmental landmarks at appropriate ages

·  Physical exam unremarkable

·  Laboratory studies WNL

·  Child referred to psychiatry for evaluation

·  Client seen by Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

MENTAL STATUS EXAM

Alert & oriented X 3, speech clear, coherent, goal directed, spontaneous. Self-reported mood is “sad”. Affect somewhat blunted, but child smiled appropriately at various points throughout the clinical interview. He denies visual or auditory hallucinations. No delusional or paranoid thought processes noted. Judgment and insight appear to be age-appropriate. He is not endorsing active suicidal ideation, but does admit that he often thinks about himself being dead and what it would be like to be dead.

The PMHNP administers the Children's Depression Rating Scale, obtaining a score of 30 (indicating significant depression)

Decision Point One

Select what the PMHNP should do:

Begin Zoloft 25mg daily

Begin Paxil 10mg daily

Begin Wellbutrin 75mg orally daily

Decision point Two

Change from immediate release to extended release 150mg orally am

Give second dose at 1pm

Change to Lexapro 10mg daily

Decision point three

Change to SSRI

Increase dose to 300mg orally daily

Maintain current dose for another 4weeks

RESOURCES

§ Poznanski, E., & Mokros, H. (1996). Child Depression Rating Scale--Revised. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.

You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the medication to prescribe to this client. Be sure to consider factors that might impact the client’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.

· At each decision point stop to complete the following:

· Decision #1

· Which decision did you select?

· Why did you select this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #1 and the results of the decision. Why were they different?

· Decision #2

· Why did you select this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #2 and the results of the decision. Why were they different?

·

· Decision #3

· Why did you select this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.

· Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #3 and the results of the decision. Why were they different?

· Also include how ethical considerations might impact your treatment plan and

Resources

Stahl, S. M. (2013). Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific basis and practical applications (4th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

 Note: To access the following chapters, click on the Essential Psychopharmacology, 4th ed tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate chapter. Be sure to read all sections on the left navigation bar for each chapter.

· Chapter 6, “Mood Disorders”

· Chapter 7, “Antidepressants”

Seedat, S. (2014). Controversies in the use of antidepressants in children and adolescents: A decade since the storm and where do we stand now? Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 26(2), iii–v. doi:10.2989/17280583.2014.938497