Anxiety Disorder Among Children and Adolescent Assignment Paper

Anxiety is a type of disorder where a person develops a feeling of fear, anxiousness and worry to an extent of altering their usual routinely activities. Anxiety is therefore classified as a disorder when it becomes chronic, occurs often and alters the social and personal life of an individual. Research has shown that about 6-7% of observed patients in outpatient’s facilities experience extreme feeling of confusion, worries and fear which in most cases is diagnosed to be anxiety disorder (Creswell et al., 2020). Just like the adults, children and adolescents also experience severe symptoms of anxiety disorder, thus altering their normal daily routines. The diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder among children and adolescents is however not easy as some of the offset manifestations they experience are vague. As such, identification of the appropriate pharmacological treatments becomes a challenge to the clinicians. Anxiety Disorder Among Children and Adolescent Assignment Paper

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Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety disorder among children and adolescents

Among this particular population, the signs and symptoms of anxiety disorder are considered vague since children and adolescents tend to conceal the worries they experience, thereby making the diagnosis a bit difficult. However, some of the manifestations of anxiety among this population include fear, extreme fear, irritability, dreadfulness and aggression (Zhou et al., 2019). Such children and adolescents may as well experience fatigue, frequent headaches, insomnia and other somatic symptoms including vomiting and nausea (Walter et al., 2020). Other common symptoms that the patient experience include lack or poor appetite, crying where not necessary, waking up frequently during the night, complaints of being unwell and being clingy almost all the time (Zhou et al., 2019). The adolescent may also experience negative thoughts and constant diarrhea from no known source. In most cases older adolescents and teenagers experience social and low self-esteem anxiety while young children experience separation anxiety (Creswell et al., 2020). As such stress is dangerous and can make a child or adolescent to cease playing with their age mates, stop going to school or any other public area. Anxiety Disorder Among Children and Adolescent Assignment Paper

Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for children and adolescents with anxiety disorder

Treatment of anxiety among children and adolescents should begin with people who are much closer to the children or adolescent, such as parents. They should do so by first communicating with their child about their worries and fear and the necessary solutions of overcoming these issues. In some cases, anxiety only requires family and love support to fully recover (Walter et al., 2020). However, it is advisable as parents or guardians to seek professional help if stress worsens when all other means are applied. A combination of both psychological and pharmacological treatment approaches are effective when the patient adheres to the prescribed medications (Kodish et al., 2022). A combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and SSRI or SNRI are essential towards reduction of anxiety symptoms among children. Anxiety Disorder Among Children and Adolescent Assignment Paper

To begin with, the SSRI’s function through increasing serotonin levels that in turn affect mood, appetite, memory and sleep. Some of the commonly known SSRIs for anxiety treatment include Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Escitalopram, Paroxetine and Fluvoxamine. However, the most prescribed of all and FDA approved is the Fluoxetine for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among children and adolescents (Kodish et al., 2022). Other medications effective for treatment of anxiety disorder among children and adolescents include Tricyclics. They however work in a similar way as SSRIs, except that they are not effective for obsessive compulsive disorder. Some examples of FDA-approved Tricyclics medications for children and adolescents include Anafranil and Tofranil.

In cases where pharmacological treatments fail to apply, non-pharmacological methods are used. CBT is one of the common known non-pharmacological approach for treatment of anxiety disorder among this population. It is a method that aims at modifying the patterns of thinking of a patient (Kodish et al., 2022). It is also an approach that helps to rectify the behavioral patterns and status of a patient. Other form of non-pharmacological approach is the psychoeducation where old adolescents are taught how to manage their symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety Disorder Among Children and Adolescent Assignment Paper

Appropriate community resources and referrals for children/adolescents with anxiety disorder

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There exist a variety of resources in the community ranging from school systems and at home that help children and adolescents battling from anxiety disorders. As a mental health nurse practitioner, one should be able to know some of these resources if not all, to act as referrals for their patients. The preschool mental health activity is one resource that contains three essential activities that are therapist-approved and hence can reduce the patient’s anxiety symptoms (Zhou et al., 2019). The other tool is the sleep activity guide that is composed of nine activities of relaxing prior to bedtime to help the child sleep comfortably. Other holiday family mental health activities should also be encouraged to help in reducing stress in a family dynamic. The back to school bullying tool kit is also an essential resource to help children manage bullying scenarios while at school. Finally the suicide prevention tool kit for families is also an essential resource. Anxiety Disorder Among Children and Adolescent Assignment Paper

References

Creswell, C., Waite, P., & Hudson, J. (2020). Practitioner Review: Anxiety disorders in children and young people–assessment and treatment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(6), 628-643. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13186

Kodish, I., Rockhill, C., & Varley, C. (2022). Pharmacotherapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2011.13.4/ikodish

Walter, H. J., Bukstein, O. G., Abright, A. R., Keable, H., Ramtekkar, U., Ripperger-Suhler, J., & Rockhill, C. (2020). Clinical practice guideline for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(10), 1107-1124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2020.05.005

Zhou, X., Zhang, Y., Furukawa, T. A., Cuijpers, P., Pu, J., Weisz, J. R., … & Xie, P. (2019). Different types and acceptability of psychotherapies for acute anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: a network meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 76(1), 41-50. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry. Anxiety Disorder Among Children and Adolescent Assignment Paper