The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is conducting a followup
examination on a child who has recently begun taking a lowdose stimulant medication to treat ADHD. The child's school performance and home behaviors have improved. The child's parent reports noticing a few tics, such a twitching of the eyelids, but the child is unaware of them and isn't bothered by them. What will the nurse practitioner recommend?

Question

The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is conducting a follow­up
examination on a child who has recently begun taking a low­dose stimulant medication to treat ADHD. The child's school performance and home behaviors have improved. The child's parent reports noticing a few tics, such a twitching of the eyelids, but the child is unaware of them and isn't bothered by them. What will the nurse practitioner recommend?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The child's improvement in school performance and home behaviors indicates that the stimulant medication is effective. The presence of tics is a known potential side effect of stimulant medication, but they are usually mild and transient. In this case, the child is not bothered by the tics and they do not interfere with daily functioning, so there is no need to discontinue or switch medications. Adding an alpha-agonist medication may be considered if the tics become severe or if the child experiences significant side effects from the stimulant medication.

The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Is Conducting a Follow­up

The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Is Conducting a Followup