DevelopmentalPsychology
Reflect on thefollowing case:
1. What do you see asthe major problems Raul is exhibiting? (If you had to take a guessat a possible diagnosis, what would it be? Anything?)
2. Identify all therisk factors and identify all the protective factors affectingRaul's development.
3. What strengths orresources in Raul and his famlly would you emphasize as a way toimprove his chances of a good developmental outcome?
Case Study: Raul Salazar -- 10-year-old boy
Raul Salazar, a 10-year-old boy, has just started the fourthgrade. He was referred to the school's multidisciplinary teambecause of reports of difficulties in school and concerns about hishome situation. Teachers are questioning whether he has a learningdisability. They are also asking the team to determine whether heis an appropriate candidate for medications. He often does notfollow instructions well. However, his current teacher is\"surprised by his vocabulary.\" It is \"much better than many of theother Puerto Rican kids in his class.\" However, his performance inschool has steadily deteriorated. He especially has problems withreading and mathematics and on occasion comes to school with dirtyclothing and falls asleep in class.
His performance in the third grade was average, but his recordsindicate that the teachers at the other school considered him to bea very anxious child. These teachers reported that Raul constantlymoved in his seat and had problems with writing but did well inother fine-motor tasks.
Another fact that stands out in his school history is that hisperformance was better when he was attending a smaller parochialschool for Grades 1 and 2.
Raul has two other siblings. He has an older brother who is 13,and a younger sister who is 9 years old. Raul's father works forthe city of New York as a painter, and is mother is a teachingassistant. She completed two years of college but had to leave hereducation because she got pregnant with their oldest son.
Raul's mother's family moved to the mainland when she was eightyears of age. Her father was a teacher and they were not verypleased when she \"had to marry\" Raul's father. Raul's father'sfamily came from a poor rural area on the island. His own fatherhad a history of alcoholism and left the family when Mr. Salazarwas very young.
Mrs. Salazar reported to the social worker that she had seriousproblems with her nerves throughout her life and that they becomeworse whenever she is pregnant. Otherwise she felt her pregnancywith Raul had been normal. However, school staff learned that therehad been some fear that she might lose Raul during the pregnancy,and this is why she was prescribed bed rest during the lasttrimester.
Mrs. Salazar's third child, her daughter Maria, was bornprematurely, but Mrs. Salazar did not have any problems with herfirst pregnancy. She told the social worker that her daughter'spremature status really hit the family hard because Maria requiredso much care when she finally came home.
Unfortunately, Mr. Salazar was released from his job shortlyafter Maria's birth, and he was out of work for 9 months. Themother reports this was possibly the most stressful period in herlife. When Maria was about four months old, Mrs. Salazar had aseizure. Mrs. Salazar's doctor considered placing Mrs. Salazar onmedication after she had that seizure; however, testing did notreveal any evidence of the presence of a seizure disorder. Shereports a history of fainting and other seizure-like experienceswhen she was a teenager.
Mrs. Salazar says that she has always had problems with hernerves and has been very sickly throughout her life. She also toldthe social worker that \"she was always the weakest one in herfamily.\" When Raul was about eighteen months old, Mrs. Salazar'sclosest brother was killed in a car accident. She reports not beingable to get out of bed for weeks following the news of his death.Raul's medical records indicate that it was approximately aroundthis time that he started banging his head in order to fallasleep.
This habit continued until he was about six years of age. Healso developed some other habits that persist to this date. Hestill bites his fingernails very often. Raul's history also revealsthat he was extremely frightened of the dark as a child and has anextreme startled response for which he is often teased by hisbrother and father.
The family moved to New York City one year ago, in order forRaul's father to take a job as a city-employed painter. The move iswhy Raul had to switch schools.
Raul's father is a strict disciplinarian. He told workers thathe often loses his temper and yells at the children, but he saysthat he has never physically abused them. He reported to the socialworker that he cannot tolerate the kids being noisy. When he comeshome from his new job, his wife is often in bed, and things are amess. Mr. Salazar is under lots of pressure at work. His supervisordoes not like Puerto Ricans and gives him all the worst jobassignments. The family no longer lives near other family membersbecause they moved for Mr. Salazar to get his city job. Mr. Salazartold the social worker that the family is willing to pay for anyservices that will help his son do well in school.
