There are many mental disorders that occur early in the life course. The DSM-5 describes neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and ADHD and disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders, such as oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. These disorders are examined together with a particular emphasis on comparing and contrasting presenting features. Diagnosis of these various conditions can rarely be made in a single office setting and often require a comprehensive approach involving multiple stakeholders, including the child, as well as his or her parents, teachers, and other significant figures in the child’s life and mental health professionals, such as psychologists who can conduct comprehensive neuropsychological testing.

The PMHNP must coordinate and integrate several sources of information to arrive at an accurate diagnosis of these disorders. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential to developing an effective treatment plan, which will have the potential to minimize the impact of these disorders on the child’s developmental trajectory. When one considers appropriate diagnosis from this perspective, the importance of diagnostic accuracy becomes quite apparent.

This week, you begin exploring disorders that occur early in the life course by working with your group to develop a Parent Guide. You also examine a case to determine a differential diagnosis and treatment plan that incorporates both psychotherapy and psychopharmacology.

Assignment

: Using evidence-based research, design and develop a Parent Guide for your assigned disorder including

: How the disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is diagnosed

Provide a minimum of three academic references

                                                        Learning Resources

Required Readings

Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2014). Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry: Behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

• Chapter 3, “Contributions of the Sociocultural      Sciences” (pp. 131–150)
• Chapter      31, “Child Psychiatry” (pp. 1152–1181, 1244–1253)

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

• “Neurodevelopmental Disorders”

o “Intellectual Disabilities”

o “Communication Disorders”

• “Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders”

Volkmar, F., Siegel, M., Woodbury-Smith, M., King, B., McCracken, J., & State, M. (2014). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 53(2), 237–257. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(13)00819-8/pdf

Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.

Review the following medications:

 

Irritability in autism

Aripiprazole

Risperidone

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity    disorder

Armodafinil
Amphetamine (d)
Amphetamine (d,l)
Atomoxetine
Bupropion
Chlorpromazine (hyperactivity)
Clonidine
Guanfacine
Haloperidol (hyperactivity)
Lisdexamfetamine
Methylphenidate (d)
Methylphenidate (d,l)
Modafinil
Meboxetine

Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”

                                         Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2017b). A young girl with difficulties in school [Multimedia file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

 

Optional Resources

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.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.

• Chapter      51, “Autism Spectrum Disorder” (pp. 665–682)