In week 3 you learned about other common adolescent health conditions.  Review the following case study and answer the following questions:

An 18 year old white female presents to your clinic today with a 2 week history of intermittent abdominal pain.  She also is positive for periodic cramping and diarrhea as well as low grade fever.  She also notes reduced appetite. She notes that She admits smoking ½ PPD for the last 2 years. Denies any illegal drug or alcohol use. Does note a positive history of Crohn’s Disease.  Based on the information provided answer the following questions:

1. What are the top 3 differentials you would consider with the presumptive final diagnosis listed first?
2. What focused physical exam findings would be beneficial to know?
3. What diagnostic testing needs completed if any to confirm diagnosis?
4. Using evidence based treatment guidelines note a treatment plan.

Submission Details:

• Post your response to the Discussion Area by the due date assigned. Respond to atleast two posts by the end of the week.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS 

Common adolescent health conditions

Introduction

Adolescence is a challenging time for many adolescents. Your body is changing, you’re developing rapidly and experiencing many emotions for the first time. The physical and emotional changes can be hard to deal with, but it’s important that you know how to manage them.

Mental health conditions

There are many mental health conditions that affect adolescents. Some of the most common include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Eating disorders are also very common among teens as they struggle with their developing bodies and eating habits in a new environment.

Because teens are still developing, it’s important to get help if you think your child is suffering from a mental health condition. The earlier a disorder is diagnosed, the better chance there is of treating it before long-term damage occurs.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that most often begin in adolescence. The three most common types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder (BED).

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by low body weight and excessive concern about body shape and weight. People with this disorder may refuse to take in food or use extreme methods to reduce calories. They may also engage in self-induced vomiting or taking part in other risky behaviors like fasting or starvation. Binge eating disorder involves binge-eating episodes lasting from two hours to several days at a time; these episodes can occur daily or less frequently but not more than twice weekly over the course of months-to-years without showing signs of recovery afterward

Traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a condition that can occur when the head is suddenly hit or shaken. Symptoms of TBI include headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, problems with balance and memory loss.

Traumatic brain injuries are serious illnesses that should be treated by a doctor.

Traumatic brain injury is a serious condition that can result in permanent disability or death. The signs and symptoms of TBI include confusion, drowsiness, headache, nausea/vomiting and seizures.

Conclusion

If you have any of these health conditions, or even if you’re just feeling unusually anxious, reach out to your healthcare provider. They can help you get a handle on what’s going on, and they may even be able to suggest some treatment options that might work better than taking prescription drugs.