INTRODUCTION

A. Brief Introduction of the Case

All children pass through predictable stages of growth and development as they

mature. A child’s development is the process of growth that children undergo from birth

through adolescence, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing

autonomy. The early years of a child’s life is essential for cognitive, moral, social,

emotional and motor developments. Therefore, it is important that parents take every

step necessary to ensure that their children grow up in environments where their social,

emotional, educational and health needs are met.

During the toddler period, the age span from 1 to 3 years, enormous changes

take place in a child and, consequently, in a family. During this period, children

accomplish a wide array of developmental tasks and change from largely immobile and

preverbal infants who are dependent on caregivers for the fulfillment of most needs to

walking, talking young children with a growing sense of autonomy.

There are associating problems that were identified with our client namely the

child’s health deficit, the parents’ inability to recognize the presence of the problem and

nutritional concerns. The major focuses of this case study are the health condition of the

child which is delayed motor development, the factors that contribute to the

inadvertence of the child’s parents such as the lack of knowledge concerning the child’s

condition and the denial about its existence as a result of fear of consequences of the

problem’s diagnosis, specifically economic/cost implications and the proper nutrition of a

toddler.

Motor development refers to children showing unusually slow development of

fine-motor or gross-motor abilities. Fine motor skills involve movement of the smaller

muscle groups in the child’s hand, fingers and wrist while gross motor skills involve

movement of the larger muscle groups, like the arms, and legs. It’s these large muscle

groups that allow babies to sit-up, turn over, crawl, and walk. During infancy, the client

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experienced three convulsions that presumably had an impact on the child’s

development and functioning that caused the delayed motor development of the child.

The factors that hinder the family in providing care to the child are the lack of

knowledge, socioeconomic implications and the attitude towards the problem. They are

afraid of the possible results if they are to consult. In the case where their child is

diagnosed with a disease, they are afraid that they might not be able to do anything

since they are financially incapable and cannot afford to sustain the child’s medical

needs.

Nutrients play an important role in the lives of all living organisms. Nutrients

obtain from food provide our bodies with the means and materials to grow, stay healthy,

and give us energy to think, learn, and play. Sedentary children ages 1 to 3 years

should consume 1000 kcal daily; active children in this age group may need up to 1400

kcal daily (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2005). The client is underweight and

does not meet the adequate nutrition both in quality and quantity.

This case study will focus on the health deficit of the child and the hindrances of

the family in providing care along with the interventions given to the client in Guisao,

Zamboanga City. Thus titled, "The Delayed Motor Development of a Toddler”.

 Pillitteri, A. (2010). Maternal & Child Health Nursing: Care of the Childbearing &

Childrearing Family (6th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

 Higuera, V. (n.d.). Fine Motor Skills for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Tips and

Activities. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/fine-motor-skills

 UC Davis Center for Nutrition in Schools. (n.d.). Nutrients We Need. Retrieved

from https://cns.ucdavis.edu