The present case study is important because the analysis of the given case requires considering the peculiarities of the behavior of autistic children. Having examined this case, we learn that it is very important to consider the special circumstances and backgrounds of the patients to help them. Besides, communication with other specialists who work with the patient is extremely important as well-coordinated work significantly increases the chances of success. It is also important to regard different components of a case separately and then construct the aggregate picture that would indicate the root of the problem and its possible solutions.
Developmental Contexts
To describe the work with the patient and his family, it is essential to consider some facts about the patient and his previous treatment experience. In the given case, the therapist was working with an autistic child who had significant problems with speech; to be more precise, the patient could not speak at all. The patient was Caucasian, and he was not the only child in his family; the family consisted of four people. The fact that was also very important in this context is that the therapist was not the only specialist who was working with the patient. As it became clear from the conversation between the therapist and the child’s parents, the patient was visiting a school for children with disabilities. Importantly, this experience helped the patient to feel more relaxed during a few sessions with his therapist.
Case Formulation
As for the things that presented the patient’s strong suits, he could be called a child who was quite interested in art; although he was not able to express his interest as other children do, it could not remain unnoticed. Besides, his attention did not seem to be very distracted; from time to time, he was able to choose only one object and notice its tiniest details. Like many autistic children, the patient was unable to listen and repeat the words after his parents (Wing, 2013, p.18). To continue, it was very difficult for the patient to express his emotions.
The time that the therapist and the patient spent working was not enough to encourage the child to express his emotions freely (Axline, 2012, p. 82). What is more, it was hard for the patient to establish social contacts (Tustin, 2013, p.4). In the very beginning, he seemed to be disinterested in communication with other people. The important detail was that he did not pay enough attention to his parents’ actions. All the facts mentioned above were the main challenges that the patient was facing.
I suppose that these problems were connected to developmental contexts. For instance, he seemed to be indifferent towards his parents and it was likely to be connected to the fact that he was not their only child; he could feel that he had to share his parents’ attention with his sister. Besides, he was not aggressive when the therapist was trying to contact him, and it was likely to be a result of his visiting the special school.
Many theories can help to understand this child’s behavior and experience. For instance, Uljarevic and Hamilton (2013) present their work concerning the recognition of autistic children’s emotional state. To them, it is obvious that autistic children have deep emotions but their recognition is often performed improperly.
Besides, the work by Just and Pelphrey (2013) can be helpful if you need to understand the reasons of autistic behavior. In the book, a complex approach to the roots of autism is presented. Solving the problem, one can use the book by Kottman (2014), which helps to understand the principles of play therapy better.
Narrative of Work with the Child and Family
During the work on this case, the therapist was communicating with many people related to the patient. At first, he had conversations with the patients’ parents almost every day to ask them if anything was changing in their child’s behavior. What is more, he provided them with useful recommendations to teach them how to communicate and play with their child at home. One day, they were happy to inform the therapist that their child was playing with his sister and he looked quite joyful. Their therapist was glad to hear that as it meant that the situation was ameliorating. What is more, the therapist was cooperating with one of the specialists from the school that the patient was visiting. Due to their conversations, they managed to coordinate their programs to increase their efficiency and avoid exhausting the patient.
Professional development
The work with this patient was a very helpful experience for the therapist as it was the first time he was working with a child who could not speak at all. Due to that, it was far more difficult to establish contact with this very child than with other children suffering from autistic spectrum disorders. To continue, the specialist was able to study the important details that should be taken into consideration during the sessions of play therapy with children who suffer from speech disorders. What is more, these exceptional circumstances encouraged the therapist to review new approaches to play therapy and autistic children’s treatment.
References
Axline, V. M. (2012). Play therapy. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.
Just, M. A., & Pelphrey, K. A. (2013). Development and brain systems in autism. New York, NY: Psychology Press.
Kottman, T. (2014). Play therapy: Basics and beyond. Alexandria, VA: John Wiley & Sons.
Tustin, F. (2013). Autistic states in children. London, UK: Routledge.
Uljarevic, M., & Hamilton, A. (2013). Recognition of emotions in autism: A formal meta-analysis. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 43(7), 1517-1526.
Wing, L. (2013). Autistic children: A guide for parents & professionals. Levittown, PA: Routledge.