The Assignment: 5 pages
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 patient. Be sure to consider factors that might impact the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes. At each decision point, you should evaluate all options before selecting your decision and moving throughout the exercise. Before you make your decision, make sure that you have researched each option and that you evaluate the decision that you will select. Be sure to research each option using the primary literature.
Week 4 Assignment 9 – Case Study: An African American Child Suffering From Depression
Introduction to the Case:
Almost six percent of the world’s population is affected by depression which is a major psychological condition in the world. The disease can be influenced by the factors included in health, socioeconomic variables, and race. Other relevant factors that can be considered are low income and education levels, also the usage of drugs. The mental dysfunction which is based on depression becomes stronger when there is an association with race-based prejudice. The intervention strategies only can be derived from the thorough analysis of the above-mentioned variables. Therefore, several factors, narratives, and conditions have to be considered for the medication of diseases like depression among black adolescents, children, and their families (Landim et al., 2021).
There are various projections about the disorder of depression that were generated by WHO to spread the concern about the ongoing problem of depression at the global and domestic levels which increases the interventional and epidemiological research on depression. However, there is a lack of literature on the depression of African American children. According to studies racism, income, economic status, physiological coping, and discrimination are the major factors that contribute to depression among young African American children and adults.
In the above-mentioned assignment, a psychiatric rating scale is used for the evaluation of the mental sickness or depression of an African American child. The self-reported mood of the child is sad. The effect of the depression on the child is bunted but still, he smiled at various points in his clinical interview. There are no paranoid thoughts or delusions are noticed in the behavior of the child and also no sign of auditory or visual hallucination. He has no active suicidal thoughts. However, the child admitted that he has thoughts of being dead and he also thinks about what it would be like to be dead.
Decision#1
The first medication that I have chosen for the treatment of an American African Depressed child is Fluoxetine. I have selected this medication drug above the others because of its several side effects. The mentioned drug is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, some kinds of eating disorders, and panic attacks which are sudden attacks that are unexpected by extreme fear. It is also used for relieving the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder that are included mood swings, bloating, irritability, and tenderness of the breast. It is used to treat major depressive disorders of eight years and older children; it can be used for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder among children of age group seven or older. People who are having bipolar disorder which is a manic-depressive disorder that causes various episodes of mania, abnormal moods, and depression can be treated with the medication fluoxetine along with olanzapine. The above-mentioned medication is known as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor which works with the increase of serotonin amount. Serotonin is the natural substance that helps the brain in maintaining mental balance (medlineplus.gov).
There are also other uses of this medication which are included the treatment of alcoholism, personality disorder of broad-line, attention deficit disorder, posttraumatic disorder of stress, headache, attention deficit disorder, obesity, various phobias, sexual problems, and sleep disorder. The medicine Fluoxetine comes in capsules, tablets, and liquid solutions that can be taken inside the mouth. The drug can be taken in the presence or absence of food. The drug can be taken once per day during the morning or twice per day during the noon and the morning. Before using the drug, it is recommended to consult with a physician or a doctor and inform them about the detailed profile of the child’s allergy. The side effect of the medication is nervousness, diarrhea, nausea, anxiety, weakness, heartburn, stuffy nose, weight loss, headache, confusion, loss of appetite, and yawning. There are also some serious effects of the drug-like itching, fever, rash dizziness, shortness of breath, and abnormal bruising.
Decision#2
The second medication that I have chosen for the treatment of an American African Depressed child is Sertraline. It is used for the treatment of depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome, and social anxiety disorders commonly known as social phobia. The above-mentioned medication improves the mood, appetite, sleep, and also energy level of the person. The above-mentioned medication is helpful for children who are suffering from depression. Sertraline is used to decrease anxiety, fear, various types of panic attacks, and unwanted thoughts. The urge of performing repetitive tasks like counting, checking, and hand washing that may interfere with the daily lives of people can be reduced by the drug. It is a category of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drug which works by helping the restoration of the balance of various natural substances like serotonin in the brain (webmd.com).
Before taking the medication, it is recommended to consult with a physician or a doctor and inform them about the allergic condition of the child if any. The medication has to be taken directly into the mouth with the doctor’s recommendation. It should be once either in the morning or the evening. The medication is in tablet and liquid form which can be taken in the presence or absence of food. However, the drug should be avoided for certain types of people including those who have a lower amount of sodium levels, increased risk of bleeding, liver problems, seizures, glaucoma, and manic depression (webmd.com).
The drug has certain types of side effects which are included dizziness, Nausea, dry mouth, drowsiness, diarrhea, increased sweating, upset stomach, and trouble sleeping. Including these side effects, there are some serious side effects of this medication that needs a doctor’s recommendation which is included irregular or fast heartbeat, fainting, bloody or black stool, coffee grounds like vomit, widened pupil, redness, swelling, and eye pain.
Discussion#3
The third medication that I have chosen for the treatment of an American African Depressed child is Clomipramine. I have selected this medication because it is a tricyclic antidepressant that is used for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression. Children of age 10 years can be prescribed this drug. The drug helps in decreasing unwanted obsessions. The tendency of performing repeat tasks can be reduced by this medication.
The above-mentioned medication works by balancing the restoration of various neural substances that are present in the brain. One of the neural substances is serotonin. It generally increases the amount of serotonin which is the natural brain substance needed for mental balance. However, before using the above-mentioned medication the patient needs to first consult with a physician or doctor due to some side effects of the above-mentioned antidepressant. The needs to know the allergic condition of the patient. If he or she has an allergy to any tricyclic antidepressant-like Clomipramine (medlineplus.gov).
There are some side effects of the above-mentioned drugs. The side effects are included vomiting, nausea, drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, headache, stuffy nose, nervousness, and change in weight or appetite. There is some serious side effect for which the medication has to be stopped immediately after consulting with the doctor. The serious side effects are included body parts shaking uncontrollably, pounding fast heartbeat, hallucinations, unusual weakness, and breathing difficulty.
While taking the medicine it has to be stored in a container and it has to be tightly closed. The drug has to be stored at room temperature which is away from excess moisture and heat. It has to be stored out of reach from the children because an overdose of this medication can cause various illnesses like seizures, restlessness, sweating, stiff muscle, fever, slow breathing, loss of coordination, coma, or consciousness loss for some time.
Conclusion:
Depending on the condition of the patient who complained of feeling sad, decreased appetite, and occasional irritation periods I would recommend the client take the second medication that I have mentioned which is named Sertraline. As I mentioned earlier that the drug has several benefits for people who are suffering from various mental disorders. It is mentioned that the client has appropriate insight appearance and judgment so I think the medication that I am recommending will work for him.
The medication also reduces unwanted thoughts and fear. Here the client mentioned that he has thought of himself as being dead. Therefore, the drug can relieve his fear and thoughts also.
References:
Landim, J. M. M., Rolim Neto, M. L., & Christofolini, D. M. (2021). Psychic suffering and depression in black children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 54.
medlineplus.gov, Retrieved from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697002.html#how [Retrieved on: 21st March 2022]
medlineplus.gov, Retrieved from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a689006.html#why[Retrieved on: 21st March 2022]
webmd.com, Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com//drugs/2/drug-1/sertraline-oral/details [Retrieved on: 21st March 2022]
