Description
Using APA 7th edition format, write a 7–8-page formal paper (including cover sheet and reference page), answering the questions following the case study. See the grading rubric below, prior to beginning the assignment.
Case Study
N.A. is a Hispanic male, age 7, who presents to the outpatient clinic for evaluation with his parents, for complaints of impulsivity, inattention, irritability with increased psychomotor activity. At school, his teacher reports that he has difficulty with sitting during the lesson, he makes inappropriate outbursts during class, requiring frequent redirection and reminders to stay on task and does not properly complete his class and homework assignments. At home, while with his family, during game night, N.A. often becomes frustrated when he is losing and has trouble waiting for his turn to play the game. He also has difficulties at home with following routines and remembering instructions to complete his chores. N.A.’s mother recalled that his disruptive behavior started when he was in preschool at age 4. Today, upon assessment, N.A is noticed to have poor eye contact and often disrupts the provider. You also review the reports from pediatric psychologists, teachers, and parents showing strong evidence of an ADHD diagnosis. They present to your clinic to initiate ADHD medication therapy.
Diagnosis: Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)
1. What are the current guidelines and goals for initiating stimulant medication therapy for ADHD in children?
2. Explain the mechanism of action and contraindications related to stimulant medication in children.
3. What would be the appropriate first-line stimulant medication and dosage to start therapy in children and adults?
4. Discuss the most common side effects of stimulant medications in children, and your first course of action to manage them?
5. What are some alternative non-stimulant therapeutic measures used to treat ADHD?
6. Discuss specific patient education (including nutrition, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes) for the management of ADHD in children.
7. Discuss monitoring parameters for N.A.’s parents, school nurses, and teachers based on the prescribed stimulant therapy.
8. Discuss the laws in your state surrounding prescriptive authority related to stimulant medications, including telemedicine guidelines.
Final Project Rubric
Competency
Goals for pharmacology treatment of ADHD
First line therapy
Monitoring parameters
Shows synthesis of patient data utilizing current evidence from the literature to plan specific goals, determine first line therapy, and provide monitoring parameters to implement for parents and teachers
Patient education
Side effects of stimulant medication
First course of action for patients experiencing side effects
Well-defined evidence of:
Patient education
Common side effects
First course of action for patient experiencing side effects
