5N1279: Zoe is a three year- old child Her local GP has raised concerns about Zoe’s development Her physical growth appears delayed: Human Growth & Development Case Study, OC, Ireland

Zoe is a three year- old child. Her local GP has raised concerns about Zoe’s development. Her physical growth appears delayed and falls below the average expected for a child of her age. In addition, she has only recently begun to speak, her language consisting of one-word utterances.

Zoe attends a playgroup three times a week and, according to her grandmother, the staff members have raised concerns about Zoe’s interactions with them and the other children.

She is withdrawn and has difficulty forming friendships with other children. She also cannot draw or color and has difficulty holding crayons etc. during art time and still uses her palmer grasp. She finds it difficult to understand the concepts of sorting, matching, and naming colors.

Mrs. Flynn gained protective custody of Zoe five months ago from her daughter Lisa. Lisa developed a drug and drink problem in her teens after she fell in with the wrong sort of people. Lisa ran away from home at 16 in response to her family’s attempt to seek treatment for her drug and drink problem. The family did not hear from Lisa for three years until Lisa got in touch with her brother Michael, told him she had a toddler, and asked for help.

The family found Lisa in a bedsit that was cold, dirty, and damp. There were no toys available to Zoe and supplies of food were scarce. Even though Zoe was over two years of age, she was still surviving primarily on bottle feeds. According to Mrs. Flynn Zoe spent her time lying in her cot and was unresponsive to Lisa, avoiding interactions with her mother.