The following study is a systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the efficacy of antidepressants in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder. This study used two independent reviewers to search for eligible studies. Ultimately, 17 randomized control trials and 2, 537 participants. The antidepressants studied included tricyclic antidepressants, SSRI’s, and SNRI’s. Functioning at school, at home, and with peers were evaluated. Quality of life was also assessed by administering a questionnaire evaluating a patient’s views on health, wellbeing, and feelings of life. The study concluded that antidepressants were effective in improving function but not quality of life in pediatric patients. Although these findings suggest that antidepressants do have a positive impact on pediatric patients with major depressive disorder, this study also shows that they are not the definitive treatment option for MDD. Other factors such as support, safety, diet, and exercise must be considered to cultivate the best environment for a patient to succeed. To delve further in area of study, I would search for studies tat specifically looked at one type of antidepressant, such as SSRI’s, in conjunction with lifestyle changes to see if these methods are effective in treating MDD for a longer-term period in pediatric patients. 

My pediatrics rotation at Queens Hospital Center was a wonderful experience as it exposed us to a variety of medical settings that care for the pediatric population. The first three weeks were in the pediatric emergency department. My rotation happened to land on influenza and RSV season. For this reason, the emergency department was very busy and students had a lot of opportunity for hands on experience. Furthermore, I learned to better mentally balance multiple patients at the same time while practicing how to prioritize patient care. The emergency department setting also exposed us to psychiatric consults for pediatric patients. The next week was spent at the clinic. Multiple specialists were available to care for patients that ranged from respiratory to endocrine to primary care. The work style was much different as patients were appointment-based and seen one at a time. Finally, the last week of pediatrics was spent at the NICU. This offered a rare glimpse at how hospitals take care of newborns who are premature or suffered from delivery complications.

Overall, the greatest lesson I learned in my pediatrics rotation is to develop trust and a collaborative approach with patients and their families. Children are especially difficult to communicate with and they are often fearful of medical instruments and providers. I learned to be patient with them, talk in a soft manner, and allow them to play with a stethoscope or gloves to ease their dispositions. Parents are also, naturally, very anxious or fearful as their children does not feel well. Medical concepts had to be explained in layman terms and multiple times to reassure the parents. 

Moving forward, I plan to carry the lessons I learned in this rotation with me into practice. This includes empathetic communication and developing trust with the patient. Although these aspects are emphasized in a pediatric patient demographic, they are transferable skills that would benefit all patient types. I would like to improve on my skills of balancing multiple patients in a calm manner. As the emergency department had a surge of pediatric patients, it was easy to become overwhelmed by the volume. I believe with experience and practice, I will be able to better balance and prioritize patient care in a calm and methodical manner.