(Solution) NURS 6630 Week 9 Assessing and Treating Clients With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – Young Girl With ADHD/ Katie is an 8 year old Caucasian female.

(Solution) NURS 6630 Week 9 Assessing and Treating Clients With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – Young Girl With ADHD/ Katie is an 8 year old Caucasian female. Assessing and Treating Clients with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) Tasiana Malya Walden University NURS 6630, Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology Assessing and Treating Clients with ADHD Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most frequent neurobiological disorder in children with an estimated worldwide occurrence of about 3.4% (Coelho, Barbosa, Rizzutti, Bueno, & Miranda, 2017). ADHD is the prevalent disorder for clients of all ages, as it is estimated more than 6 million children (CDC, 2016) and 8 million adults (ADAA, 2016) are diagnosed with the disorder. This is the disorder in which the brain is wired differently, primarily affecting the frontal lobes of the brain, which is responsible for memory control, impulsivity, behavior, and self-regulation (Templeton, 2020). ADHD is now viewed as not just a disorder of attention in children rather it encompasses inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity (Stahl, 2013). It is believed that genetic heritage has a connection with ADHD diagnosis despite the exact cause is not known (Block, Macdonald, & Piotrowski, 2017). Properly diagnosing clients with ADHD relies on carefully analyzing the presenting symptoms and client health history to develop personalized therapy plans. For diagnosis, the client must meet criteria of at least six or more symptoms of inattention span of 6 months such as failure to pay attention to details, getting easily distracted, being difficulty in focusing on the task at hand, failure to follow instructions, lack of organization, unable to complete initiated tasks, and avoids tasks or situations (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The purpose of this assignment is to address the three treatment decisions for a client; an 8-year-old Caucasian qfemale diagnosed with ADHD with inattentive tendencies. The provider will also analyze the ethical considerations that may impact the treatment plan and communication with the client. Case Study This is the case of is an 8-year-old Caucasian female who appears appropriately developed for her age. Her speech is clear, coherent, and logical. She is appropriately oriented to person, place, time, and event. She has dressed appropriately for the weather and time of year. She demonstrates no noteworthy mannerisms, gestures, or tics. The self-reported mood is euthymic. The affect is bright. The client denies visual or auditory hallucinations, no delusional or paranoid thought processes readily appreciated. Attention and concentration are grossly intact based on the Client’s attending to the clinical interview and her ability to count backward from 100 by serial 2’s and 5’s. Insight and judgment appear age-appropriate. The client denies any suicidal or homicidal ideation. The client has diagnosed with ADHD, predominantly inattentive presentation. Treatment Plan Decision Point One There are three drug choices provided for the scenario; Wellbutrin (bupropion) XL 150mg daily, Intuniv ER 1mg at HS, or Ritalin (methylphenidate) chewable tablets 10mg orally AM. Bupropion is an FDA approved antidepressant which works by inhibiting dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake (Patient Information Sheet, 2016). It is also used as an off-label drug for treating ADHD. According to the Patient Information Sheet (2016), the safety and effectiveness of bupropion for clients younger than 18years has not been established. For that reason, the drug is not appropriate to be prescribed for the client in this case. Although stimulants are assumed to be the first-line treatment for ADHD, they pose certain challenges in some populations, such as clients with significant addiction histories and antisocial behaviors (Bastiaens, Scott, & Galus, 2019). Bastiaens et al., (2019) states that non-stimulants are effective in such populations. Intuniv (guanfacine) is a non-stimulant alpha-2 adrenergic agonist used to treat ADHD in client populations that are not fit for the first line of treatment.