Many children and adolescents present to their primary care provider’s office with concerns about inattention, poor focus or poor concentration. Since the primary care provider’s office is typically the first stop, it is important to be comfortable further evaluating the presenting problem, identifying associated symptoms, determining the diagnosis and implementing the best treatment plan. Many […]
Category Archives: Newsletter
10 Strategies for Improving Medication Adherence
Inconsistent adherence to psychotropic medication is a common problem in the primary care setting and a frustration for treatment providers. Studies show that 3 months after initiating treatment for MDD, only 50% of patients are adherent to the prescribed medication. Adherence rates for patients with schizophrenia are 50-60% and for patients with bipolar disorder can […]
OCD
It used to be thought that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was rare, but it is more common than originally thought. The prevalence is between 2-3% worldwide and it affects males and females equally. Symptoms usually present between childhood and early adulthood, with 75% of patients having symptoms before the age of 18. OCD can be a […]
Signs of a Sensory Processing Disorder
Case Presentation 7 year old boy with chief complaint of “frequent meltdowns”. Additional history: daily meltdowns (crying, hitting) with loud sounds or when asked to wear certain clothing; wants to make friends but poor boundaries and accidentally hurts peers at school when he is playing with them; hard time sitting during seat work at school […]
Depression in Adolescents
Major depression affects 6% of adolescents with an additional 5-10% presenting with sub-syndromal symptoms of depression. There is a 2:1 female:male ratio of major depression in adolescents. Teens frequently don’t present with the typical DSM criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Common depressive symptoms in adolescents include: irritability (as opposed to reporting a sad mood), […]
Treatment for Depression Related to Pregnancy
Last week’s e-Weekly discussed the different depressive syndromes as related to pregnancy. This e-Weekly will go into detail about treatment for depression for a patient who is in the antepartum or postpartum period. The first step is to determine the level of impairment of the symptoms. Baby blues resolves on its own with support and […]
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are far and away one of the most frequent of mental health disorders. Often they are not recognized and/or treated within the context of the primary care setting, even though they tend to be chronic conditions that have significant impact on patients’ health and well-being. Anxiety is a universal and highly adaptive experience, […]
Nonsuicidal Self-Injury
Also known as self-injury and self-harm, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to the deliberate and direct alteration or destruction of healthy body tissue without suicidal intent. This can range from skin cutting or burning to amputation of body parts. There can be a cultural component to the self-injury. While NSSI acts are done without suicidal intention, […]
Important Drug Interactions Between Psychotropic Medications and Contraceptives
Contraceptives are commonly used in women of childbearing age, many of who are also taking psychotropic medications for mental health concerns. It is important to be aware of the interactions between contraceptives and certain psychotropic medications as well as the psychiatric side effects of contraceptives themselves. Contraceptives have synthetic estrogen, progesterone or a combination of […]
Expanded Services Available
We are excited to announce the expansion of patient and provider services through the SmartCare program pursuant to our revised contract with San Diego County Behavioral Health Services. Effective immediately, SmartCare will be adding the following expanded service capabilities: Telephone Consultations for Adult and Geriatric patients: While this service has previously been available for parents […]