Question

A 13-year-old has been prescribed dextroamphetamine for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd) since age 10, achieving significant improvements in behavior and mood. when assessing the child during a scheduled follow-up appointment, the nurse should prioritize what physical assessment to monitor for a potential adverse reaction to the therapy?

Answer 1

The nurse should check the boy's height and weight. If the boy were to lose a massive amount of weight it would mean that he would be unhealthy which may be a result of the prescription. If his weight was normal then it would indicate that the prescription has not negatively effected his body. The boy's height would work the same way, if it decreased for some reason, it was most likely caused by a adverse reaction to the medicine. If his height is unchanged that would be a positive sign.