Assignment: Assessing and Treating Pediatric Clients With Mood Disorders.

Assignment: Assessing and Treating Pediatric Clients With Mood Disorders
When pediatric clients present with mood disorders, the process of assessing, diagnosing, and
treating them can be quite complex. Children not only present with different signs and symptoms
than adult clients with the same disorders, but they also metabolize medications much
differently. As a result, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners must exercise caution when

prescribing psychotropic medications to these clients. For this Assignment, as you examine the
client case study in this week’s Learning Resources, consider how you might assess and treat
pediatric clients presenting with mood disorders.NURS 6630 – Psychopharmacologic
Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology Essay Assignment
Note: This Assignment is the first of 10 assignments that are based on interactive client case
studies. For these assignments, you will be required to make decisions about how to assess and
treat clients. Each of your decisions will have a consequence. Some consequences will be
insignificant, and others may be life altering. You are not expected to make the “right” decision
every time; in fact, some scenarios may not have a “right” decision. You are, however, expected
to learn from each decision you make and demonstrate the ability to weigh risks versus benefits
to prescribe appropriate treatments for clients.
NURS 6630 – Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology Essay
Assignment
Required Readings
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using this link. This link
will take you to a log-in page for the Walden Library. Once you log into the library, the Stahl
website will appear.
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”
Stahl, S. M. (2014b). The prescriber’s guide (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University
Press.

Note: To access the following medications, click on the The Prescriber's Guide, 5th 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.
Review the following medications:
amitriptyline
bupropion
citalopram
clomipramine
NURS 6630 – Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology Essay
Assignment
Magellan Health, Inc. (2013). Appropriate use of psychotropic drugs in children and adolescents:
A clinical monograph. Retrieved from http://www.magellanhealth.com/media/445492/magellan-
psychotropicdrugs-0203141.pdf
Rao, U. (2013). Biomarkers in pediatric depression. Depression & Anxiety, 30(9), 787–791.
doi:10.1002/da.22171
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
Vitiello, B. (2012). Principles in using psychotropic medication in children and adolescents. In J.
M. Rey (Ed.), IACAPAP e-Textbook of Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Geneva:
International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions. Retrieved
from http://iacapap.org/wp-content/uploads/A.7-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY-072012.pdf
Poznanski, E., & Mokros, H. (1996). Child Depression Rating Scale–Revised. Los Angeles, CA:
Western Psychological Services.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

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Required Media
Laureate Education (2016e). Case study: An African American child suffering from depression
[Interactive media file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: This case study will serve as the foundation for this week’s Assignment.
Optional Resources
El Marroun, H., White, T., Verhulst, F., & Tiemeier, H. (2014). Maternal use of antidepressant
or anxiolytic medication during pregnancy and childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes: A
systematic review. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 23(10), 973–992.
doi:10.1007/s00787-014-0558-3
Gordon, M. S., & Melvin, G. A. (2014). Do antidepressants make children and adolescents
suicidal? Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health, 50(11), 847–854. doi:10.1111/jpc.12655
Seedat, S. (2014)NURS 6630 – Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of
Psychopathology Essay Assignment . 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
To prepare for this Assignment:
Review this week’s Learning Resources. Consider how to assess and treat pediatric clients
requiring antidepressant therapy.
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.
At each decision point stop to complete the following:NURS 6630 – Psychopharmacologic
Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology Essay Assignment

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
NURS 6630 – Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology Essay
Assignment
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.