Introduction
The assessed client comes from a family that consists of mother, grandmother, and two children. The client’s mother provided all the requested information.
Demographics of client and Family Members
Client (Target Child).
Client’s Grandmother
Client’s Sibling.
Client’s Mother.
Pertinent Family History
The mother’s parents are separated. The mother’s father used to beat his wife, especially when he was drunk. Notably, the mother’s father was an alcoholic, and at one time he was taken to a rehabilitation center. The father to the client’s mother abused the children in physical and emotional ways. At many times, the children had to endure abusive words from their father. In effect, the client’s mother was raised in a dysfunctional family consisting of four children. Hence, the client’s mother did not acquire the right parenting skills. The client’s mother inherited drinking behaviors from her father. The client’s mother used to fight with his husband before separation. It is noteworthy that the client’s mother was a habitual alcoholic. The mother caused mental and emotional distress to the client and the four siblings when under the influence of alcohol. Similarly, the mother physically abused her husband. The client witnessed the frequent fights between her parents. In fact, the client spent many nights in her uncle’s house.
Child’s functioning
Cognitive and Intellectual Functioning
The current symptoms manifested by the child include poor socialization and huge deficits in verbal communication. The child has difficulties in expressing herself through verbal means. In addition, the client tends to express signs of depression and aggression. At times, the child is very violent and does not play with children in her age group. From the comprehensive information given by the client’s mother, the child had retarded cognitive and intellectual functioning. Notably, the child could not bubble at the age of twelve months, and by the age of twenty-four months, she could not pronounce the simplest two-word phrases on her own. She used to repeat the words of other people. Similarly, the mother said that the child could not maintain eye contact at the age of twelve months. The child manifested poor social skills at the age three. At many times, the client used to stay alone in a quiet place even in the presence of other children.
Dangerous Behaviors and Immediate Threat to Personal Safety
The child expresses intermittent violent behaviors. Such behavior started when the child was only four years. Since then, the child has continued to be a threat to her personal life and the immediate people. The child exhibits different levels of aggressive behavior. Notably, it is difficult for this child to manage her anger, and tends to abuse the other children physically. At times, she responds to the classmates violently with outbursts of duress and threatens to kill them. In fact, the client’s violent behavior is a problem of major concern among the teachers in her schools. The client gets depressed to the point of trying to commit suicide. In this respect, the child puts her life and that of other children at a high risk.
Emotional/Psychiatric/Behavioral Functioning
The child was identified as mentally retarded at a tender age. The psychiatric report indicated that the child expressed the tendencies of social isolation and inability to connect emotionally with the people in the immediate environment. Language delay was also quoted as one of the cognitive deformities manifested by the client during her early years. The symptoms have extended to the child’s current life.
Social Functioning
The child lacks social skills and does not interact well with other children. Precisely, the child tends to stay in quiet and isolated places. She is violent whenever her peers attempt to play with her. Notably, the client utters harsh words to the people around her. The relationship between the client and the rest of the family members is remarkably poor. Sadness, as well as depression, characterizes the life of this client.
Cultural/Spiritual Functioning
The family members are active Christians. The client’s mother encourages the children to attend church on Sundays. The client’s mother believes that God has the power to heal and provide the right direction. The child is in the Sunday school program that supports children to grow spiritually and develop the values cherished by the society. However, the degree of involvement in Sunday school activities is remarkably weak. Nonetheless, the client’s mother holds strongly that the Sunday school program will instill social skills and positive values in the child. She is confident that the spiritual program will change her daughter’s current situation.
Community Involvement/Recreational Status
The client is inactive in the community or recreational events. The client’s mother attempted to enroll her in drama classes and horse riding. However, the child did not express any interest in the hobbies. Therefore, the child is not currently engaged in any community or recreational activities.
Special Circumstances in Childhood
Domestic violence and physical abuse were prevalent during the child’s growth. The client’s mother used to fight with her husband prior to divorce. Similarly, the child’s mother was a physical and emotional burden to the children, especially when under the influence of the alcohol. The domestic violence, physical, and emotional abuse, which the child underwent through are potential causes of the poor social skills manifested by the client. The separation of the parents can also be an underlying factor for the depressive tendencies inherent in the client.
Significant Medical History
The child underwent through medical examination when she was young. The physicians took brain scans in the process of diagnosing the cause of the manifested symptoms. The scans included ultrasound scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. Similarly, the physicians examined the child’s blood in an effort to detect the underlying causes of impaired speech and poor coordination.
Medication Currently Taken
Currently, the child is under antidepressants. The client takes drugs such as fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, fluvoxamine, and escitalopram. Other selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors taken by the children include naltrexone that reduces self-inflicting tendencies.
Substance Abuse
The assessment did not establish any current element of substance abuse in the family. The client’s mother has ceased abusing alcohol. Currently, the mother draws a lot of inspiration from the bible scriptures.
Prenatal and Birth History
The mother used to abuse alcohol during pregnancy and after delivery. Complications characterized the delivery of the client. In fact, the mother underwent through cesarean birth after complications arose and barred normal delivery. During birth, the child experienced episodes of oxygen deprivation.
Delayed Developmental Milestones
Some of the delayed developmental milestones included the inability to bubble words at the age of twelve months. Similarly, the client could not pronounce a two-word phrase at the age of twenty-four months. The child failed to develop social skills, and the relationship with her mother, as well as immediate family members, was very poor.
Sensorimotor Functioning & Motor Development
The child manifested deficit sensorimotor and motor development at a tender age. The eye coordination was poor at the age of twenty-four months. In addition, the child could not grasp pencil or paint well at the age of three years.
Last/Current Grade Completed and School Attended
The client is in grade 3 at Canby Lane Elementary School.
Strengths and Barriers
The Sunday school programs has inculcated social skills in the child. In addition, the child is now composed and can listen attentively. The family is also cooperative. However, a major drawback to the child’s management of the aforementioned symptoms is intermittent outbursts of anger.