DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Name: Zachariah A.

Date of Birth: May 18, 2003

Race: Vietnamese


Presenting Problem:

            Zachariah applied to the Janus School in July of 2011.  His parents filed out an application to the Janus School in hopes to improve Zachariah’s reading, writing, math, and social skills.  The purpose of this social history is to estimate Zachariah’s future success at the Janus School.

 

Background Information:

            Zachariah is an eight year old young boy who currently resides with his adoptive mother.  He spent his first five years of life in an orphanage in Vietnam.  Zachariah was then adopted by his adoptive parents who have a total of 13 adoptive children, most of which have special needs.  Shortly after Zachariah’s was adopted, his parents got a separation.  Zachariah visits his father on weekends in Elizabethtown but resides with his mother in Mount Joy.

Zachariah’s adoptive father works for DAS Distributers in Palmyra, Pa.  DAS Distributers is a wholesale distributer and is a family run business.  Currently, Zachariah’s adoptive mother is unemployed but she currently holds a degree in Social Work and previously worked for Brittany’s Hope.  Little is known about Zachariah’s background from the information given at his adoption.

 

Education

            Zachariah had previously attended St. Joan of Arc for three years where he repeated kindergarten upon his teacher’s requests.  When coming to the United States it was very apparent that Zachariah was in need of educational assistance to catch him up to his peers and allow him to learn at the appropriate level for his age.  Zachariah’s kindergarten teacher states that he did not receive much one on one attention and the faculty was very concerned and confused with his behaviors.  Being a school not meant to specialize in children with behavioral difficulties, it was complicated to get Zachariah to efficiently complete his school work.

 

Developmental/Medical History

            Zachariah was born in Vietnam and little information is known about his developmental history.  Zachariah suffers from a non-functional thyroid and requires blood transfuses once a month in order to survive.  Doctors estimate that his life expectancy will not be much longer than twenty years.  This is the cause of thalassemia, a serious blood disorder.  Zachariah was also diagnosed with ADHD.  He is easily distracted, has difficulty listening, is forgetful, makes careless errors, is loud and overactive, and is very fidgety.  Associated with Zachariah’s ADHD, he also has dysgraphia which causes him to occasionally confuse letters and numbers.

            Zachariah has also been diagnosed with adjustment disorder.  This is believed to be associated it with his adoption and adjustments made in order to live as a typical citizen in the United States.  Contrary from what would be expected Zachariah does not have an attachment disorder.  His adoptive mother states that he is actually very loving and close to her.  However, it is very difficult for Zachariah to form a relationship with others in authority.

 

Impressions/Recommendations

            Zachariah presents himself in a very energetic manner.  He states that he is very smart and does not deserve to be in the classes the Janus School has placed him in.  The client would not cooperate during the interview.  Although it appeared difficult for the client to pay attention, he responded to the questions he was asked.  Zachariah is able to socially interact with his peers but is unable to form strong relationship ties with his classmates and teachers.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.