Discussion | SOCW 6446 – Social Work Practice With Children and Adolescents | Walden University

Week 4 Please use All information I have posted Thank you 

Clinicians often have to employ multiple skills simultaneously while engaging with clients. Not least among them are reflective listening, information gathering and sensitive questioning, recording key responses, observing for signs of syndromes, and identifying the chief complaints. This week you address the complex process for identifying and distinguishing among similar diagnostic syndromes.

This process begins in the diagnostic interview. Research of skilled clinicians shows that forming diagnostic impressions too quickly increases the risk of errors in diagnosis. Every clinician should be evaluating differential diagnoses at the diagnostic interview and beyond. While social workers want to resolve their own uncertainty, using the formal steps of a decision tree ensures accuracy. A decision tree is especially important when all available data is not pointing in the same direction.

This week, you walk through the steps of a differential diagnostic decision tree using a case within the neurodevelopmental disorders. At the same time, you begin to meet with your colleague in case consultation about your individual case assignment.

· Develop a DSM diagnosis utilizing a differential diagnostic process

· Analyze a case study focused on a neurodevelopmental disorder utilizing steps of differential diagnosis

· Assess progress with a colleague on a collaborative assignment

· Outline a plan to create a diagnosis

Putting It All Together: Differential Diagnosis and Neurodevelopmental Disorders 

First, M. B.   (2014). Handbook of differential diagnosis. Washington, DC: American   Psychiatric Association. Retrieved from   http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edspub&AN=edp2452076&site=eds-live&scope=site   o Chapter 1, “Differential Diagnosis Step by Step”   (pp. 14–24) 

• Morrison, J.   (2014). Diagnosis made easier (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.   o Part 1, “The Basics of Diagnosis” (pp. 3–56) 

• • American   Psychiatric Association. (2013j). Neurodevelopmental disorders. In Diagnostic   and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA:   Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm01 

• • American   Psychiatric Association. (2013l). Other conditions that may be a focus of   clinical attention. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental   disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.VandZcode

• Walsh, J. (2016). The utility of the DSM-5   Z-codes for clinical social work diagnosis. Journal of Human Behavior   in the Social Environment, 26(2), 149–153. doi:10.1080/10911359.2015.1052913   

• • Blackboard. (2018). Collaborate Ultra   help for moderators. Retrieved from   https://help.blackboard.com/Collaborate/Ultra/Moderator 

• • Document: The Case of Bogdan (PDF) 

• • Document: Case Collaboration Meeting   Guidelines (Word document) 

• • Document: How to Write a Diagnosis   According to the DSM-5 (PDF) 

Media 

• • Laureate Education (Producer). (2018f). Steps   in differential diagnosis [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

Discussion 

Applying Differential   Diagnosis to Neurodevelopmental Disorders 

Post by   a 300- to 500-word response in which you address the following: 

•  Provide a full DSM-5 diagnosis of Bogdan.   Remember, a full diagnosis should include the name of the disorder, ICD-10-CM   code, specifiers, severity, and the Z codes (other conditions that may be a   focus of clinical attention). Keep in mind a diagnosis covers the most recent   12 months. 

•  Explain the diagnosis by matching the   symptoms identified in the case to the specific criteria for the diagnosis. 

• Identify which four   diagnoses you initially considered in the case of Bogdan, using the DSM-5   diagnostic criteria to explain why you selected these four items. In one or   two sentences each, explain why three of these diagnoses were excluded. 

• Explain any obvious   eliminations that could be made from within the neurodevelopmental spectrum. 

•  Describe in detail how Bogdan’s symptoms   match up with the specific diagnostic criteria for the primary disorder that   you finally selected for him. Note two other relevant DSM-5 criteria for that   illness from the sections on “diagnostic features” and “development and   course” that fit his case.