Today, you are seeing Brinn Rodriquez, a six-year-old Latina female, accompanied by her mother, Petra Rodriquez-Spencer. Petra has noticed that Brinn was making repetitive eye blinking, repetitive shoulder shrugging, and intermittent barking noises. Petra had told Brinn to stop the behavior and even punished her, but the repetitive patterns continued. After seeing her primary care provider, Brinn was referred to you for an evaluation.
Answer the following questions from your perspective as her psychiatric nurse practitioner.
- Identify the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Tourette syndrome. What additional information would be needed from Petra in order to identify whether or not Brinn meets the criteria for diagnosis?
- What non-pharmacological interventions could you provide or suggest in order to help both Brinn and her family? Identify at least one evidence-based intervention article that supports your suggestion.
- If medication were indicated, what medication might you prescribe? Note the class of medication, dosing, administration, side effects, metabolism, excretion, and mechanism of action.
- Describe how you would explain this disorder to Brinn and then to Petra. How would you explain that there is no cure for this disorder? How can you instill hope for a patient and family who face this type of disorder?
- Identify a rating scale that could be used for children or adolescents with a motor disorder or a learning disorder. Include a link to more information.