A CASE STUDY OF AN ADOLESCENT FEMALE WITH VIRAL

ENCEPHALITIS

Vallen Joy C. Dela Cruz

Darianne Joyce L. Sabado

EDUC 15 (Foundations of Special and Inclusive Education)

March 2020
Introduction

Viral Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain caused by a

virus, such as herpes simplex viruses, which cause cold sores and

genital herpes (this is the most common cause of encephalitis) and

the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and

shingles.The most serious potential complication is permanent

brain damage. Children aged under one year and adults aged over

55 years are at increased risk of life-threatening complications.

People with disabilities like Viral Encephalitis has special needs

such as time, extra attention and care.The cells of the immune

system rush to the brain and start attacking viruses. This causes

the characteristic brain swelling (cerebral oedema).Both the

infection and theattempts of the body to fight the infection are

responsible for the symptoms of viral encephalitis.

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TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF

DEVELOPMENT

A. Physical and Motor Development

The person was involved in physical activities such as

dancing. She also participated in extra curricular activities

like MTAP when she was in Grade 1. She is no longer

concerned in her weight since she is not aware of it.And she

is the type of person who loves eating and she often doing it.

The exercise she used to do everyday is walking with her

father. She should always accompany by a person who can

take care of her, because she is a very kind person despite of

her condition. She trusted every individual she met, and if

you ask her if she can go with you, without any hesitation

she will follow you. She is eating regular foods like a normal

person do but as of now her food must be less in fats. Her

favourite foods includes bananas and apples, in short she

really loves fruits and she eat these trice a week. She also

experienced changes in herself like other girls, she also have

the regular menstruation and breast enlarge. She is not

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 sexually active, she doesn’t have any idea or knowledge

about sex.

B. Language and Cognitive Development

But unfortunately, she is no longer attending schools. But at

the age of 5 she attended Pre-School to Grade 1 when she was

normal without any health problem. She got the illness when

she was in Grade 1 and at the month of December she has been

diagnosed called Viral Encephalitis. She isn’t capable of going to

school even in Special School. Because of the brain damage.

She had no idea on what is happening to her surrounding, her

parents is just protecting her because she might get hurt by

other children with special needs, because her case is far

different from the other who has disabilities, And because she is

no longer attending school, her parents still doing and

supporting what she really likes. She is indeed a very

adventurous person, in order to fulfil her happiness. Her father

always drive her with their motorcycle and go around near their

house. And when she was in their house she is just playing

with some toys in her room. She has a very comfortable room

wherein it is air conditioned and all the wall was secured by soft

things. Like a normal person,she has also a dream and goals in

life she want to fulfil when she was still a normal person. She

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 dreamed to become a nurse. It was influenced by her relatives

because most of them are a good nurses.

C. Social and Emotional Development

She is living with her family. She also shows various emotion

such as when she was happy, sad, and upset though she

cant really express it. When she was happy she expresses

her emotions through shouting, same as when she is sad

and upset but the difference is she has tears in her eyes, her

parents just let her cry until she want as long as she doesn’t

feel pain physically, because eventually she will surely stop

and forget what she made her cry. She is definitely a sweet

person. She loves to kiss her mother and always asking for a

hug from the persons she is comfortable with, same with her

siblings. She is also a friendly type of person, despite of her

condition she is not harmful like other people with

disabilities. Her parents got an argument sometimes but it

was kept as a secret to their child, and according to them it

was literally normal in all relationships. But when it comes

to decision especially when their child is involved they also

say it to her even though she doesn’t have the ability to

understand things. But she was treated as a normal person

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 with some special and extra needs by her parents. She

spend her whole time in doing all she want like playing her

favourite toys, walking and riding motorcycle with her father.

Life for them in general is not easy, life was always have

challenges, and extra challenge for them for they have a

special child. But because of the love that binds them all the

problem they are facing has become easy and smooth. In life

there is always the sacrifice, patient, hope and faith with the

creator, to God.

D. Moral and Faith Development

Because of her condition, she doesn’t have any knowledge

about religion. But her family always take her in church.

They belong to Born Again. Although she doesn’t have any

idea regarding religion her family support

her to open her eyes and mind about God. She just need the

guidance. She doesn’t have any bad habits.

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Recommendations for Future Development

She is a typical girl who is very kind and lovely to all people

she just met, I recommend that her parents should always

be with her for her safety. she is very active in playing, after

she eats she will have a playtime with her toys, she should

have a walking exercise after eating with accompany for a

healthy living and proper digesting,she want to eat if she saw

something she wants, which is not good for her health that

is more on fats. Her guardian must focus and be aware of

what their daughter ate because it would affect her health

and might put her life at risk, she is adventurous person,

loves to go around with her father. They should doing it

often, all the things that’s makes her happy might give her a

better feeling, She is no longer go to school since she got an

illness called encephalitis, she stop schooling when she was

grade 1. I recommend that her parents should still sent their

daughter to school with their presence, because I believe

she would have a better life with it, with some knowledge

and might inspire her to dream big. To interact with others

might improve her communication. Her language and

cognitive, social and emotional could develop more if and

only if she would engage in a activities in school but of

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course with guidance. She seemed aware of god since her

mom was taking her at church, they must talk to her about

god often for her to be able to be familiarize, I believe when

her mind doesn’t remember her heart does, that would feel

the presence of god.

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References

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatme

nt/viral-encephalitis

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Appendices

A. Permission Slip

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B. Interview Questions

I. Physical and Motor Development

 Is the person involved in any regular physical activity

like sports, etc.? What are these physical activities?

 Is she concerned with her weight?

 Does she exercise? How regular?

 What does she eat? What are her favourite foods? How

regular does she eat these foods?

 Did she experience growth spurt? At what age does

she experience such changes?

 Is she sexually active?

II. Language and Cognitive Development

 Does she go to school? What age did she start? What

does she do in school? What are her activities? Does

she joined curricular activities?

 How does she learn? Is she brought in a special

school?

 How is she doing in school?

 What does she like best in school?

 What does she do if he does not go to school?

 What career could he she see herself indulged into?

III. Social and Emotional Development

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  Does she live with her family?

 How does she handle emotions?

 How is her relationship with her parents? Her

siblings? His peers? People around?

 Does she feel safe at home? With the environment?

 Do her parents argue?

 What are her recreational activities? How does she

spend her spare time?

 How is life in general?

 Does her family have history of suicide?

IV. Moral and Faith Development

 How important is religion to her?

 How does she regard religion?

 Does she attend church activities? How regular?

 Does she drink alcohol? Does she have bad habits or

vice?

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C. Evidence of Interview

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 . Reflection

This case study made me experienced on how to deal with a

person who has special needs On how she live her life since she

got Encephalitis at the age of 5 up until the age of 27, imagine how

difficult it is, for her not able to do all things like the normal people

can do, during the interview I thought people like her are harmful

who would physically aggressive when meeting new people, I take a

picture beside her and no wonder she is a kind andlovely person,

in this case study it gave me a further knowledge about having

Encephalitis, how and when will it occur, how long does

encephalitis last, will it be cured, What is the differences between

encephalitis and autistic, this interview taught me a lot of things, I

have learned the different levels of a person who has a special

needs, I also learned how people like her developed their physical

and motor development, language and cognitive development,

social and emotional development, moral and faith development,

despite being a special child these could be develop under typical

and atypical characteristics.

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