Minimum 500 word response. Case Study- Susie 

Question Minimum 500 word response. Case Study- Susie Susie is a nine-year-old white female with Down Syndrome, Trisomy 21/normal mosaicism.  Susie lives with her mother, father and 13-year-old brother in a small rural community (pop. less than 4,000). The community offers only summer sports programs in a city park. Children with disabilities are transported to integrated school programs in other nearby rural communities. Both parents commute to a metropolitan area 15 to 30 miles one way per day to work. The 13-year-old sibling has assumed childcare responsibilities before and after school, during school vacations, and in the summer. Susie has received medical and social services support since birth, yet she is limited in her access to services due to the demands of per parents careers, residence in rural area and absence of local resources.  Chromosomal defects attributable to Trisomy 21 also caused congenital heart disease in Susie’s case, as well as ventricular septal disease (VSD) and atrial septal disease (ASD), which resulted in openings in the septum that separate the ventricles and atria. Two days after birth, Susie had heart surgery to implant a shunt, a month later she underwent surgery to remove an intestinal blockage and at nine months, eye surgery to correct her strabismus. Corrective lenses have been worn since age two. At age five, Susie again underwent heart surgery to repair the openings in her heart walls.  With each heart surgery, postoperative medications were prescribed for periods of six weeks to three months.  Stair climbing was contraindicated and Susie has been observed closely to prevent falls that could traumatize the chest area. She is checked routinely by her cardiologist. Social service and home care specialists began intervention at nine months and continued for three years until Susie entered preschool. Weekly interventions included movement and range of motion exercises, sensory stimulation, play skills and family assistance in self-care.  An initial focus in preschool was to develop communication through facilitated communication techniques with family involvement. Cognitive test results noted high to moderate intelligence, social tests suggested Susie’s interactions skills are within expectations for her age group. She entered public school at age five in another rural community, where she was integrated in physical education and music classes and received academic support from education specialists.  Her parents and family members indicated that Susie exhibits brief periods of attention and tends to be physically active. Speech therapists continue to assist Susie in developing clear, understandable vocalizations to accompany her use of signs. Family members use a behavior management program that involves a gradual reduction of signs as Susie’s language becomes more comprehensible. Susie appears to have definitive likes and dislikes. If she has a preference, she points herself and says “me.” She tends to be animated and demands attention when playing with family members. Susie’s parents have used similar discipline techniques with both children; yet, there is a noticeable difference in Susie’s response to each parent. Her father’s presence tends to command immediate response. Her interests include music, dancing, puzzles, coloring, beanbag animals, looking at pictures in books, and games such as Memory and Bingo. She and her brother spend time with computer games and TV watching. During the summer, her parents are able to transport her to horseback riding lessons for children with disabilities. Through school, she participates in spring Special Olympics. As reported by her mother “she has needs and feelings just like any other child. She is a joy to have around. It is very hard to be in a bad mood around her. She won’t let you. She won’t let you get in a hurry. You have to slow down, and when you do, you realize what’s important.” Questions  Keeping in mind her need for assisted communication, what instruments and techniques would you use to assess Susie’s leisure strengths and needs? Be thorough in your description and reason for choosing each instrument and technique. What activities might be designed for Susie and her brother to participate in to promote social skills? Attempt to identify activities that would be of interest to both Susie and her brother.  Age appropriateness is critical.  Assuming summer school is not an option for Susie due to limited parental transportation to distant rural schools, what interventions could a CTRS plan during the school year to prepare Susie and her brother for recreation participation in the summer? Identify at least three interventions and thoroughly explain how they will benefit Susie. Taking into consideration that individuals with Down Syndrome are highly susceptible to becoming overweight, what types of activities should Susie participate in to keep her weight in check. Keep in mind her medical condition when choosing appropriate activities.  Be thorough in your explanation of why you chose each specific activity.    Health Science Science Nursing REC MISC Share QuestionEmailCopy link Comments (0)