Depression is defined as a common and serious medical illness that affects how a human feels, thinks, and even acts. It is also regarded as one of the major health concerns and an affective disorder in most countries. In most scenarios, depression cases range from mild to severe depending on the patients’ signs, types, and symptoms. Delusions and hallucinations characterize severe cases of depression, and they may result in death if they are not treated at the right time. This paper will explore a depression case study extensively while also outlining and mentioning aspects such as the differential diagnosis, medications, and even prescriptions.
Diagnosis and Differentials
MS Natalee Williams, the 10-year-old child, expressed poor performances while in school and sad behavior. She also expressed the loss of appetite, withdrawal behavior or symptoms, the desire to spend much time sleeping, losing close to two pounds while in school. She was also isolating herself from the rest, and not wanting to play with the rest of the children. All of the above-mentioned were signs and symptoms of depressive disorder. The diagnosis was based on the child’s behavior, and the grandmother’s being hospitalized in a psychiatric unit. She had also tried to commit suicide using Tylenol.
Nonetheless, the patient was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) because Natalee seems to be suffering from the psychiatric disorder, as evidenced by the symptoms. Clinical depression is likely to be shared between siblings and children. A relative experiencing depression has close to five times the probability of developing it than an individual with a relative who does not have depression (Kigozi et al., 2018). An illustration of this is Natalee and her grandmother; however, besides primary impression, Natalie’s diagnosis also includes dysthymia, which is recognized through poor appetite, insomnia, and lower energy levels.
Medication and Education
The nurse should prescribe medication that will treat and mitigate the MDD. It is the nurse’s responsibility to understand how each patient reacts towards a certain form of medication. Therefore, the pediatric patient should begin with a lower case before eventually titrating upwards to closely monitor and evaluate the clinical effects or side effects (Taube et al., 2018). The best medicine for Natalee is Fluoxetine (Prozac), with the first dose of 10mg oral every day. The FDA approves the medicine; therefore, it is good for consumption for patients above eight years. Nevertheless, the dose may also be increased up to 20mg after a couple of weeks, but one should not consume above 80mg daily.
Once the therapy has been discontinued, the nurse must educate Natalee’s mother to taper more slowly to reduce the chances of the patient experiencing the withdrawal signs and symptoms. This also allows for early detection of the recurring symptom. The nurse needs to create awareness, especially to Natalee’s mother, of how Prozac works. For example, Fluoxetine is a serotine reuptake inhibitor responsible for increasing the serotonin levels to treat depression. It is also crucial for the nurse to inform the mother that serotonin acts as a chemical messenger responsible for carrying signals between the brain neurons (Taube et al., 2018). Serotonin also plays a key role in influencing good mood, bringing sleep, and most importantly, bringing appetite.
In conclusion, besides educating the parent, it is also vital to educate the patient regarding the medication being administered and the side effects of the drugs. The common side effects include disturbances while sleeping, headaches, severe sweating, restlessness, and sedation. In addition, FDA also states the patients taking Prozac medication should be closely monitored for weight changes, matters about anxiety, panic, violence, and coordination challenges. Therefore, for the children taking this kind of medication, their risks must be evaluated and eventually weighed against the advantages of taking the antidepressants. The parents and the family of the patient are also encouraged to report any changes in their patient’s behavior.
References
Kigozi, J., Jowett, S., Nicholl, B. I., Lewis, M., Bartlam, B., Green, D., Belcher, J., Clarkson, K., Lingard, Z., Pope, C., Chew-Graham, C. A., Croft, P., Hay, E.M., Peat, J., & Mallen, C. D. (2018). Cost‐Utility Analysis of Routine Anxiety and Depression Screening in Patients Consulting for Osteoarthritis: Results From a Clinical, Randomized Controlled Trial. Arthritis Care & Research, 70(12), 1787-1794. Web.
Taube, E., Kristensson, J., Midlöv, P., & Jakobsson, U. (2018). The use of case management for community‐dwelling older people: the effects on loneliness, symptoms of depression and life satisfaction in a randomized controlled trial. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 32(2), 889-901. Web.