Teenagers undergoing treatment for cancer face a variety of mental health challenges. These include low or disturbed mood, anxiety, and altered cognition (e.g. delirium, psychosis), among others. In order to select the best treatment or intervention, the first step is proper identification of the presenting mental health concern. This workshop will briefly address accurate diagnosis, and then will focus on practical management strategies to support teenagers, including both non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches.
Speaker
Alex Drossos, MD, MBA, MEd, FRCPC,
Child Psychiatrist,
Child and Youth Mental Health Program,
McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton Health Sciences
Assistant Professor,
Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences,
Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University
In addition to his interest in pediatric psychosocial oncology, Dr. Alex Drossos is passionate about neurodevelopmental disorders including FASD, school mental health, Indigenous mental health and e-health. His previous work and educational experiences are varied, including computer engineering, health services management, health professional education and Indigenous health. His prior work also includes three years with Cancer Care Ontario in the early 2000s in various positions, including decision support, EMR implementation and surgical oncology program management.