The Assignment

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

Therapy for Pediatric Clients with Mood Disorders

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Mother reports that teacher said child is withdrawn from peers in class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

Select what the PMHNP should do:

Begin Zoloft 25 mg orally daily

Begin Paxil 10 mg orally daily

Begin Wellbutrin 75 mg orally BID

• 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 communication with clients.

Note: Support your rationale with a minimum of three academic resources. While you may use the course text to support your rationale, it will not count toward the resource requirement.

Making Connections

Now that you have:

• Assessed pediatric clients presenting with mood disorders
• Developed personalized plans of antidepressant therapy for pediatric clients
• Examined factors that influence pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in pediatric clients requiring antidepressant therapy
• Explored ethical and legal implications of prescribing antidepressant therapy to pediatric clients

Review the following medications:

• amitriptyline
• bupropion
• citalopram
• clomipramine
• desipramine
• desvenlafaxine
• doxepin
• duloxetine
• escitalopram
• fluoxetine
• fluvoxamine

• imipramine
• ketamine
• mirtazapine
• nortriptyline
• paroxetine
• selegiline
• sertraline
• trazodone
• venlafaxine
• vilazodone
• vortioxetine

RESOURCES

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

http://iacapap.org/wp-content/uploads/A.7-PSYCHOPH…

https://www.magellanhealth.com/media/445492/magell…

http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://sta…