What was the substance of your colleague’s argument?
Subject: Psychology
Deadline:
Format: APA
sources: 1
Pages: 1
powerpoint slides:
Spacing: Double spaced
Topic: PSY 630 Reply to Stephanie’s post Week 5 Risks, Benefits and Diagnosis
Details: What was the substance of your colleague’s argument? Do you agree with this argument? Why, or why not? To what extent did your colleague consider the ethical dimension to this risk-benefit calculation when prescribing drugs for children who are too young to be of the age of legal consent? Whether you agree or disagree with the conclusion, was the ethical aspect dealt with in a responsible manner? What insights did your colleague include that you had not considered? What might you suggest he or she consider which was not already included? Please use your research to support your assertions. (See Stephanie’s POST BELOW)
*******************************************************************************************************
Reply to colleague Stephanie Malave Post
When it comes to giving medications to children for mental health conditions there has been grave concern. There is quite the controversy when it relates to questions about the risk and benefits of the medications being prescribed to children. Previous studies conducted brought up several concerns to include the prevalence of suicidal ideation and completed suicides, the percentage of the child population that have experienced depression, and the future complications of the depression especially in those that were untreated (Advokat et al., 2018). Fluoxetine (Prozac) has been shown to be a beneficial treatment option for children with depression and has been FDA approved for children that are 6 years and older. Another treatment option is cognitive behavioral therapy, studies have shown CBT alone is beneficial, but the optimal outcomes are from the pairing of CBT and fluoxetine (Advokat et al., 2018).
Children need to be started on lower doses than adults as they are more sensitive and can have more severe side effects. However, it is still recommended to increase the dosage until it becomes therapeutic. Misdiagnosis can do more harm because of the delay in proper treatment and thus delaying the relief of symptoms (Advokat et al., 2018). Fluoxetine became available for treatment use in 1988, categorized as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. The medication works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin and may block the uptake of dopamine (Advokat et al., 2018).
This medication is used for treating symptoms of depression with a half-life that can last up to a few days. The long half life of fluoxetine allows the prescribing of the medication to be more flexible than it is with other SSRI’s. Like other SSRI’s, it takes a few weeks before the medication is built up enough to have an effect on the symptoms. This can lead to difficulty determining whether or not a patient is going to respond to the medication or if there will be any adverse effects (Advokat et al., 2018). Since there is concern about medicating children a complete assessment and thorough exam needs to be done to ensure that unnecessary medications are not given. Being proactive and taking time to ensure that medications are properly executed, and appropriate follow-ups would result in the best possible outcome (Advokat et al., 2018).
References
Advokat, C. D., Comaty, J. E., & Julien, R. M. (2018). Julien’s primer of drug action: A comprehensive guide to the actions, uses, and side effects of psychoactive drugs (14th ed.). Retrieved from https://vitalsource.com
Image preview for what was the substance of your colleague’s argument?
APA
350 words