Assignment: NURS 6665 Week 5 Patient Education for Children and Adolescents

Patient education is an effective tool in supporting compliance and treatment for a diagnosis. It is important to consider effective ways to educate patients and their families about a diagnosis—such as coaching, brochures, or videos—and to recognize that the efficacy of any materials may differ based on the needs and learning preferences of a particular patient. Because patients or their families may be overwhelmed with a new diagnosis, it is important that materials provided by the practitioner clearly outline the information that patients need to know.

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For this Assignment, you will pretend that you are a contributing writer to a health blog. You are tasked with explaining important information about an assigned mental health disorder in language appropriate for child/adolescent patients and/or their caregivers.

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To Prepare

By Day 1, your Instructor will assign a mood or anxiety disorder diagnosis for you to use for this Assignment.
Research signs and symptoms for your diagnosis, pharmacological treatments, nonpharmacological treatments, and appropriate community resources and referrals.

The Assignment

In a 300- to 500-word blog post written for a patient and/or caregiver audience, explain signs and symptoms for your diagnosis, pharmacological treatments, nonpharmacological treatments, and appropriate community resources and referrals.
Although you are not required to respond to colleagues, collegial discussion is welcome.

The Subject is Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

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Assignment: Patient Education for Children and Adolescents

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) is a childhood disorder that results in severe impairment that necessitates clinical attention. It is characterized by a constant and severe irritable mood that is out of proportion in intensity and duration alongside frequent temper outbursts. The purpose of this blog is to educate children and adolescent caregivers on Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, including the clinical features, treatments, and appropriate community resources and referrals.

DMDD Signs and Symptoms

DMDD symptoms start becoming evident before 10 years, but the condition is not diagnosed in children under 6 years or adolescents above 18. The signs and symptoms include an irritable or angry mood that is present most of the day (Benarous et al., 2020). Children also have severe temper outbursts, verbal or behavioral, with an average of three or more temper outbursts per week that are beyond the circumstances and the child’s developmental level. In addition, children with DMDD have impairment in occupational, social, and education functioning due to irritability at home, school, and with peers (Benarous et al., 2020). For a child to be diagnosed with DMDD, they must present with these symptoms progressively for 12 months or more.

Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Treatments

Since DMDD is a new diagnosis, treatment is usually based on therapies that have been effective in other mood disorders with similar symptoms of irritability and temper tantrums, like anxiety disorders, ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and MDD. The medications include stimulants which are commonly used to treat ADHD. Evidence shows that stimulant medications decrease irritability in children with irritability and ADHD (Hendrickson et al., 2020). In addition, antidepressant medications are sometimes used to treat irritability and mood problems with DMDD. Atypical antipsychotics are prescribed for children with very severe temper outbursts characterized by physical aggression toward people and property (Parker & Tavella, 2018). Aripiprazole and Risperidone are FDA-approved to treat irritability in autism and are sometimes used in DMDD treatment.

Non-pharmacological treatment includes psychological interventions like psychotherapy and parent training. Psychotherapy includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) used to train children to effectively regulate their mood and increase their tolerance when frustrated (Bruno et al., 2019). Parent training seeks to assist parents in interacting with the child to decrease aggression and irritable behavior and improve their relationship.

Community Resources and Referrals

Community resources available for children and adolescents with DMDD include support groups like the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). NAMI is committed to building better lives for Americans affected by mental disorders. DBSA gives hope, support, and education to improve the lives of individuals with mood disorders. In addition, various DMDD Facebook groups give members advice, support, and a place to express themselves. Children with DMDD are referred to child psychiatrists since they have experience working with children and adolescents.

Conclusion

DMDD is a childhood disorder characterized by constant irritability, anger, and intense temper outbursts. The irritability causes impairment in functioning. Medications include stimulants, antidepressants, and antipsychotics. Non-pharmacologic treatments include psychotherapy with CBT and parent-training to improve mood regulation and the patient-child relationship.

References

Benarous, X., Bury, V., Lahaye, H., Desrosiers, L., Cohen, D., & Guilé, J. M. (2020). Sensory processing difficulties in youths with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11, 164. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00164

Bruno, A., Celebre, L., Torre, G., Pandolfo, G., Mento, C., Cedro, C., Zoccali, R. A., & Muscatello, M. (2019). Focus on Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: A review of the literature. Psychiatry Research, 279, 323–330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.05.043

Hendrickson, B., Girma, M., & Miller, L. (2020). Review of the clinical approach to the treatment of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 32(3), 202–211. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2019.1688260

Parker, G., & Tavella, G. (2018). Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: A Critical Perspective. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 63(12), 813–815. https://doi.org/10.1177/0706743718789900