Adolescent mental health Flashcards
Describe the management of anxiety disorders in adolescents
- mild anxiety; CBT
- unresponsive or moderate-severe; SSRIs, up to 12 wees to take effect, continue for 1 year
- benodiazepines; paradoxical agitation, initial titration
- NOT PROPRANOLOL
Describe the management of depression in adolescents
Mild depression;
- watchful waiting for 2 weeks
- then group IPT/CBT, digital CBT, non directive supportive therapy for 2-3 months
Unresponsive or moderate to severe;
- individual CBT etc, family therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy 4-6 sessions
- then fluoxetine
- then sertraline or citalopram
- consider augmentation with low dose antipsychotic if poor response to at least 2 SSRIs
Describe the features of non-suicidal self-injury
- periods of optimism and some sense of control
- successful decrease in discomfort
- frequently chronic and repetitive
- intent to relieve from unpleasant emotions
- uncomfortable but intermittent psychological pain
- choices available; ‘temporary solution’
Describe the features of suicidal self-injruy
- hopeless and helplessness central
- no release of discomfort after self injury
- generally not chronic or repetitive
- intent to escape pain or end consciousness
- unendurable, persistent psychological pain
- tunnel vision; ‘one way out’
Describe the initial management of self harm
- educate about signs of distress in themselves and others
- use of positive coping skills
- learn about the difference between self injury and suicide and normalise the experiences
- some people will just want to be heard and empathised with
- refer to specialist mental health professional for assessment of risk and underlying causes
Autism spectrum disorder is an umbrella term for what 5 disorders?
- aspergers syndrome
- retts syndrome
- childhood autism
- pervasive developmental disorder
- pervasive developmental disorder NOS
What are the core features of ASD?
- triad of impairments
- social communication
- social interaction
- social imagination
- repetitive behaviours
How is social communication impaired in ASD?
- generally good language skills but find it hard to grasp the underlying meaning of conversation
- difficulties understanding jokes, idioms, metaphors and sarcasm
- voices often sound monotonous
- language can be pedantic and idiosyncratic
- they often have narrow interests which dominate their conversations (lack of reciprocity)
- difficulty sharing thoughts and feelings
How is social interaction impaired in ASD?
- difficulties picking up non-verbal cues
- appear self focused and lacking in empathy, when in fact, they are simply trying to figure out social situations
- continually struggle to make and sustain personal and social relationships
How is social imagination impaired in ASD?
- difficulties thinking flexibly and in abstract ways
- inability to understand other peoples points of view, taking things literally
- difficulties applying knowledge and skills across settings with different people
- difficulties projecting themselves into the future or planning goals sensibly
Describe potential biological-perinatal causes of ASD
- umbilical cord complications
- foetal distress
- birth injury or trauma
- multiple birth and maternal haemorrhage
- low birth weight / small for gestational age
- congenital malformation
- meconium aspiration
- neonatal anaemia, ABO or Rh incompatibility and hyperbilirubinaemia
Describe the neuroanatomical changes in ASD
- frontal lobes, amygdala and cerebellum appear pathological in autism
- amygdala in boys with autism appears 13-16% larger assoc. with more severe anxiety and worse social and communications skills
- however, there is no clear and consistent pathology that has emerged for autism
Describe the sensory processing difficulties in ASD
- any of the senses can be over or under sensitive or both at different times
- taste; find some flavours too strong, has a restricted diet, certain textures cause discomfort
- smell; can be intense and overpowering, can cause toileting problems
- sound; inability to cut out sounds
- touch; can be painful and uncomfortable, only certain types and textures of clothing
- sight; poor depth perception, sensitive to light
Describe features that can lead to diagnosis of ASD in children
- language difficulties
- may lack awareness of an interest in other children
- struggle to initiate friendships
- gravitate to older or younger children
- tend to play alone
- difficulties understanding other peoples emotions and feelings
- may flap their hand or twist their fingers when upset or excited
- repetitive play
What is the essential criteria for ASD diagnosis?
- symptoms must be present in the early developmental period
- symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of current functioning (regardless of age)
- disturbances are not better explained by other mental health problems, intellectual disability or global developmental delay