An adolescent exhibits mild depressive symptoms and tells the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner that he is most concerned about difficulty falling and staying asleep. The adolescent does not want to take medication to treat the depressive symptoms. What will the nurse practitioner recommend?

Question

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The nurse practitioner should recommend a program of sleep hygiene and gradual sleep extension to help with the difficulty falling and staying asleep. This can include avoiding caffeine and electronics before bed, establishing a regular sleep schedule, and gradually increasing the amount of time spent in bed. While antidepressants may help with sleep, the adolescent has expressed a desire not to take medication for depressive symptoms, so it is important to respect their wishes and explore non-pharmacological options. Cognitive therapy may also be helpful in addressing the underlying depressive symptoms, but the primary concern at this time is improving sleep. Sedative-narcotics are not recommended for use in adolescents due to the risk of addiction and adverse effects on developing brains.

An Adolescent Exhibits Mild Depressive Symptoms and Tells the Primary