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.
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.
RESOURCES
Required Readings
• Hilt, R. J., & Nussbaum, A. M. (2016). DSM-5 pocket guide for child and adolescent mental health Links to an external site.. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
o Chapter 3, “Common Clinical Concerns”
o Chapter 7, “A Brief Version of DSM-5″
o Chapter 8, “A stepwise approach to Differential Diagnosis”
o Chapter 10, “Selected DSM-5 Assessment Measures”
o Chapter 11, “Rating Scales and Alternative Diagnostic Systems”Links to an external site.
• Shoemaker, S. J., Wolf, M. S., & Brach, C. (2014). The patient education materials assessment tool (PEMAT) and user’s guideLinks to an external site.. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. https://www.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/publications/files/pemat_guide.pdfLinks to an external site.
• Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Wiley Blackwell.
•
o Chapter 60, “Anxiety Disorders”
o Chapter 61, “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”
o Chapter 62, “Bipolar Disorder in Childhood”
o Chapter 63, “Depressive Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence”

Required Media
• Center for Rural Health. (2020, May 18). Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder & childhood bipolar disorderLinks to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/tSfYXkst1vMLinks to an external site.
• Mood Disorders Association of BC. (2014, November 20). Children in depressionLinks to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Qg-BBKB1nJcLinks to an external site.
• Psych Hub Education. (2020, January 7). LGBTQ youthLinks to an external site.: Learning to listen. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn4AVjMMYX4

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- 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.