Caring For The Infant, Child, And Adolescent At Risk In Mental Health Nursing

Vocabulary flashcards covering pediatric and adolescent mental health nursing, including criteria for diagnosis, depressive disorders, anxiety and trauma-related conditions, disruptive and conduct disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, psychopharmacology, and nursing interventions.

Age Inappropriate Behavior

Behavioral patterns that are incompatible with a child's chronological age and expected developmental milestones.

Cultural Deviation

Behaviors representing a marked departure from familial, cultural, and environmental norms.

Impaired Function

Behaviors that cause direct interference with academic, familial, social, and adaptive daily functioning.

Major Depressive Disorder (Childhood/Adolescent)

An internalizing depressive disorder characterized by depressive symptoms lasting at least 2 weeks.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

A chronic internalizing mood disorder characterized by depressive symptoms persisting for at least 2 years.

Pediatric Depression Manifestations

Symptoms including persistent sadness, hopelessness, irritability, unprovoked anger, regressive clinginess and excessive whining (in preschoolers), somatic complaints, isolation, and declining school performance.

Quiet Room

An unlocked, voluntary sensory-reduction space used to de-escalate emotional distress without involuntary containment.

Seclusion

The involuntary containment of a client that requires a provider order, strict time limits, and continuous monitoring.

Safe Physical Redirection

A nursing safety practice that channels aggressive impulses into non-destructive physical outlets, such as a punching bag or pillow.

Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)

Medications such as imipramine and clomipramine used for depressive and anxiety disorders; associated with adverse effects including orthostatic hypotension, anticholinergic effects, weight gain, decreased seizure threshold, and sweating.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Antidepressant medications carrying critical warnings in youth for risks of suicidality, agitation, anxiety, tremor, headache, weight gain, gastrointestinal effects, and sleep disturbance.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Excessive distress anticipating separation from a primary trusted caregiver that may progress to phobia, acute panic, and school avoidance, interfering with developmental milestone achievement.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Pediatric PTSD)

A condition precipitated by experiencing or witnessing life-threatening trauma, manifested in children by repetitive trauma play, decreased play, nightmares, fear of dying young, emotional numbing, social detachment, and somatic complaints.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

A recurrent pattern of negativistic, disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior directed toward authority figures (primarily at home toward the person best known), accompanied by low self-esteem, mood lability, and a low frustration threshold.

Aggression (Conduct Disorder Pillar)

A diagnostic pillar of conduct disorder characterized by physical cruelty to people and animals, bullying, threatening, and the use of weapons.

Destruction (Conduct Disorder Pillar)

A diagnostic pillar of conduct disorder consisting of deliberate destruction of property, vandalism, and intentional arson.

Deceit/Theft (Conduct Disorder Pillar)

A diagnostic pillar of conduct disorder involving lying to obtain goods, breaking and entering, and shoplifting.

Rule Violations (Conduct Disorder Pillar)

A diagnostic pillar of conduct disorder characterized by chronic truancy before age 13, running away overnight, and curfew breaches.

Conduct Disorder: Childhood Onset

Subtype emerging before age 10, predominantly affecting males, characterized by more severe aggression and a higher risk of developing antisocial personality disorder.

Conduct Disorder: Adolescent Onset

Subtype diagnosed after age 10 with an equal male-to-female ratio and less severe aggressive behaviors.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)

A disorder with onset between ages 6 and 18 characterized by severe recurrent temper outbursts occurring $≥ 3$ times per week that are grossly out of proportion, alongside persistent irritability across multiple settings.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED)

A behavioral disorder with onset between ages 13 and 21 marked by violent verbal or physical aggression toward people, animals, or property, followed immediately by feelings of deep remorse and shame.

ADHD: Inattentive Type

A clinical presentation of ADHD characterized by disorganization, careless errors, difficulty sustaining focus, and forgetfulness in daily activities.

ADHD: Hyperactive / Impulsive Type

A clinical presentation of ADHD characterized by fidgeting, inability to remain seated, excessive running or climbing, and blurting out answers.

ADHD: Combined Type

An ADHD subtype meeting diagnostic criteria for both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity simultaneously across more than one setting prior to age 12.

CNS Stimulants (for ADHD)

First-line medications including methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine, and lisdexamfetamine that require clinical monitoring of insomnia, weight loss, appetite suppression, blood pressure, and growth curves.

Alpha-2 Agonists / Antagonists (Clonidine & Guanfacine)

Medications utilized for ADHD and tic disorders requiring monitoring for hypotension, bradycardia, and sedation; must be tapered gradually to prevent rebound hypertension.

Bupropion

A non-stimulant medication for ADHD that lowers the seizure threshold and is strictly contraindicated in clients with eating disorders or a history of seizures.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder with early childhood onset marked by sensory integration deficits, extreme tactile or auditory hypersensitivity, rigid ritualism, and self-stimulating motor stereotypies.

Tourette's Disorder

A disorder characterized by the presence of multiple motor tics and one or more vocal tics (e.g., palilalia, echolalia, coprolalia), typically presenting between ages 6 and 7.

Mild Intellectual Development Disorder

An intellectual disability category defined by an IQ range of $50 - 70$, capability up to a 6th-grade academic level, and the ability to live independently with assistance during times of stress.

Moderate Intellectual Development Disorder

An intellectual disability category defined by an IQ range of $35 - 49$, academic capability up to a 2nd-grade level, and supervised community living with simple gross motor employment.

Severe Intellectual Development Disorder

An intellectual disability category defined by an IQ range of $20 - 34$, capability for elementary hygiene habit training, requiring complete daily supervision and possessing minimal speech.

Profound Intellectual Development Disorder

An intellectual disability category defined by an IQ $< 20$, displaying no academic benefit, minimal self-help skills, and requiring constant $24/7$ custodial nursing care.

Habit Training

A nursing intervention consisting of systematic, step-by-step reinforcement of activities of daily living (ADLs) for self-care routines.

Respite Care

Community-based support services arranged to provide temporary relief to caregivers of children with complex developmental needs to prevent burnout.