SAMPLE CASE STUDY 1 :
17 year old normal weight female high school student with anxiety who lives in a dorm with her normal weight roommate who has depression
Introduction
Nutrition is essential to every human being’s life, and the body requires proper nutrition to remain healthy (Christ et al., 2021). Children need adequate food for their bodies to grow and develop well. This assignment covers a case of a 17-year-old normal-weight female high school student with anxiety who lives with another roommate of average weight but is depressed. The health issues and risks relevant to this child, the additional information necessary to assess her health-related health, and any other information necessary to understand her health are discussed. The paper finally provides two strategies that could be employed to encourage caregivers and patients to be proactive about their weight and health.
Health issues and risks relevant to the child
Several risks and issues are relevant to this child based on the case studies provided. As the case study provides, anxiety is one of these health issues, which can affect her emotional and mental well-being. Anxiety disorder is known to cause excessive fear, nervousness, and worry, thus affecting the quality of life and normal daily functioning (Piko et al., 2020). The roommate’s depression is a risk that this child faces, as sharing a room with a depressed individual while witnessing and empathizing with her call causes more emotional strain and stress. The overall well-being of this child can be affected by the issues happening around her environment, which can worsen her anxiety symptoms (Piko et al., 2020).
This child might also be facing academic pressures primarily due to the fact that she is in high school. She might be finding it hard to balance her academic life, social life, and extracurricular activities, which can increase her anxiety level. Stress can have psychological and physical effects, such as disrupted sleep patterns, impaired concentration, and reduced immune function (Nyante et al., 2021). Even though the case study does not provide any information regarding social isolation, her roommate’s depression and anxiety could lead to withdrawal or difficulty socializing with other students. The final issue is that of living in the dormitory, which is a challenge for people with anxiety. The increased social interactions shared living space, and noise can exacerbate anxiety and stress (Christ et al., 2021). Therefore, this child must receive the necessary treatment and support to contain her anxiety.
Additional information necessary to further assess her weight-related health
To further assess this child’s weight-related health, there is some more information that would be necessary. Understanding her dietary habits and eating patterns, including the type, portion, and frequency of foods she takes, would be required. It is essential to have information about the vegetables, processed foods, fruits, fast foods, and sugary beverages she possibly takes. To understand her energy balance, it would be essential to assess the level of her physical activities, including the duration, frequency, and intensity of ten workouts (Seidel et al., 2011). Regular physical activity is known to manage anxiety and promote a healthy weight. Another essential piece of information that would greatly help is her family history (Ball et al., 2019). Assessing the weight-related health history of the family, such as diabetes, obesity, or cardiovascular diseases, would provide insight into her genetic composition and the potential risk (Seidel et al., 2011). Lastly, and not the lists, it would be essential to have her health history information, including her previous treatments and medications that might affect her metabolism or body weight.
Information necessary to gain a complete understanding of her health.
To fully understand this child’s health, it would be essential to know the severity of her roommate’s depression. This would provide some insight. Her academic demands and the available support systems were also significant in this case. Finally, her social interactions and coping strategies could be identified via one-on-one interviews or even some questionnaires prioritizing respect, privacy, and non-judgmental.
Three specific questions are essential to gather more information
- Can you provide the anxiety symptoms that your child experiences? How do they manifest themselves in her daily life? The question allows the patient to describe the severity of the anxiety symptoms. It also acknowledges their unique perspective as the child’s caregivers (Christ et al., 2021).
- How does living in the dorm affect your child and her anxiety? This question acknowledges the impacts of living in the dormitory and its potential challenges.
- What support system does your child have to maintain her mental health and academic pressure? This will help to understand her coping mechanism and let them share their concerns regarding her mental well-being and academic stress.
Two strategies to encourage the caregivers to be proactive on the child’s health and weight
The fooling two strategies can be used to encourage caregivers to be proactive on the health and weight of their child: educating and empowering the caregivers to equip them with information regarding weight management strategies among teenagers or adolescents (Christ et al., 2021). Here, the parents would be educated and encouraged to express their observations, questions, and concerns without fearing criticism. The second strategy is using open and non-judgmental communication by encouraging the caregivers to express their observations, and concerns openly (Christ et al., 2021). This helps to build trust and create a safe space for further discussions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this case study highlights weight-related and mental health interconnectedness. This high school child faces different risks, including academic stress, dorm living, anxiety, and potential social isolation. To understand this child well, it is essential to understand her academic demands, coping strategies, and her roommate’s depression. Addressing the parents and the caregivers sensitively promotes open communication and lets them share all the necessary information.
References
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2019). Seidel’s guide to physical examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
Christ, C., Schouten, M. J., Blankers, M., van Schaik, D. J., Beekman, A. T., Wisman, M. A., … & Dekker, J. J. (2020). Internet and computer-based cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression in adolescents and young adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(9), e17831.
Imamova, A. O., Toshmatova, G. O., & Khobiljonova Sh, R. (2023). Protecting works and hygienic assessment of nutrition of preschool children in Tashkent.
Nyante, S. J., Benefield, T. S., Kuzmiak, C. M., Earnhardt, K., Pritchard, M., & Henderson, L. M. (2021). Populationâ€level impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on breast cancer screening and diagnostic proceduresLinks to an external site.. Cancer, 127(12), 2111–2121. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.33460
Piko, B. F., Obál, A., & Mellor, D. (2020). Body appreciation in light of psychological, health-and weight-related variables among female adolescents. Europe’s journal of psychology, 16(4), 676.
Seidel, H. M., Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2011). History subjective data checklist. In Mosby’s guide to physical examination (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
SAMPLE CASE STUDY 2 :
16 year old female who lives with her normal weight mother and over weight step father.
An explanation of the health issues and risks that are relevant to the child you were assigned.
By residing with a mother of normal weight and an overweight stepfather, it is worth noting that this 16-year-old female may be prone to possible health issues related to inadequate nourishment and obesity. Such concerns could encompass facing a greater likelihood of experiencing obesity itself, along with conditions such as type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders or cardiovascular diseases (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Additionally, the family dynamics and lifestyle choices can influence the child’s eating habits and overall health outcomes.
Describe additional information you would need in order to further assess his or her weight-related health.
To improve our level of understanding concerning the teenage girl’s health status and bodyweight, additional information needs to be gathered. It will require acquiring data on physical attributes such as height and mass which will help calculate Body Mass Index (BMI), offering a primary yet fundamental assessment about weighing. The next step involves evaluating body fat distribution along with composition utilizing procedures such as bioelectrical impedance analysis or skinfold measurements (Dains et al., 2019). This can offer not just quantifiable data but also serve informational objectives concurrently. Scrutinizing dietary habits including type, frequency, and serving number of meals and snacks can help measure nutritional intake while identifying potential excess calories or nutrient deficiencies. This critical nutritional evaluation will require collaboration between the teenager and professional to factor in all essential specifics concerning their food options. Lastly, determining physical activity levels will be important as well. This assessment involves evaluating exercise type, time frame along with regularity to determine energy expenditure as well as overall physical fitness. Lastly, obtaining a detailed medical history, including any existing health conditions, family history of obesity or related disorders, and medication use, would provide valuable context for assessing her weight-related health risks.
Identify and describe any risks and consider what further information you would need to gain a full understanding of the child’s health.
There is need to consider the potential risks involved for a 16-year-old female in this case study. These dangers encompass an escalated probability of acquiring obesity related illnesses like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases along with metabolic disorders that warrant attention. Gaining a full understanding of her current state of health requires examining several factors such as BMI measurements along with exploring dietary habits, assessing physical activity levels, researching family medical history, identifying any preexisting conditions or medications she might be taking (Markert et al., 2021). Additionally, evaluating both psychological well-being and social support systems because these areas have an effect on a persons’ overall welfare which directly impacts weight focused behaviors.
Think about how you could gather this information in a sensitive fashion. Taking into account the parents’ and caregivers’ potential sensitivities, list at least three specific questions you would ask about the child to gather more information.
The three questions that could be asked sensitively to gather more information about the child are:
- Could you share some specifics regarding the types of meals and snacks typically consumed by your child each day?
- How much physical activity does your child engage daily including their involvement in sports or other forms of exercise.
- As far as existing health conditions go – both within the confines of immediate family medical history and specific to your child – is there anything that warrants our attention?
Provide at least two strategies you could employ to encourage the parents or caregivers to be proactive about their child’s health and weight.
The two strategies that can be employed to encourage parents or caregivers to be proactive about their child’s health and weight are motivational interviewing and a family-based approach. By utilizing motivational interviewing techniques, professionals can engage parents or caregivers in a collaborative and supportive conversation, aiming to evoke their intrinsic motivation for positive changes (Dains et al., 2019). To ensure children have access to opportunities for healthy development while reducing health risks associated with obesity or poor nutritional habits requires tailored approaches focused on active listening to children’s concerns as well as acknowledging parents’ influence over their household environment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Employing an approach centered around families encourages collaboration among all members while learning evidence-based information on creating a nurturing environment at home for both nutritionally balanced meals and enjoyable physical activities outside of screen time moments which allow every member a chance improve their health by integrating personal choice with social learning within families.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, April 9). Childhood overweight & obesity. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/ Dains, J. E., Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. (2019). Advanced health assessment and clinical diagnosis in primary care (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
Markert, J., Herke, M., Bartels, A., Gosse, K., Roick, J., Herz-Jakoby, A., … & Richter, M. (2021). Food practices and nutrition of children and adolescents in residential care: A scoping review. Appetite, 167, 105640.