PEPSI Screening 1

PEPSI Screening

Dave Gabriel C. Odtuhan

College of Southern Nevada

EDU 220:

Dr. Rochelle Hooks

February 26, 2023

PEPSI Screening 2

Biography

The person involved in this observation is Sabrina, a 12-year-old girl who was born in

Maui, Hawaii. Sabrina was born healthy on August 6, 2010, at Maui Memorial Medical Center.

When she was about 11-months old, her family visited the Philippines for her introduction and

christening. After a few weeks in the Philippines, Sabrina was taken to the hospital due to

shortness of breath. She was then diagnosed with asthma, and they came to believe that she had

her first asthma attack due to high humidity level in the Philippines.

Sabrina’s household consists of five other members; her mother, father, sister, and two of

her mother’s siblings. Sabrina has severe asthma attacks and a heart condition that limits her

involvement in outdoor activities and social interaction. Due to her condition, her mother is

overprotective of her. Having limited childhood experiences, Sabrina’s family was supportive of

her by providing for her needs and a lot of her wants. This type of support had negative and

positive effects.

Sabrina and her family decided to move to Las Vegas, Nevada when she was eight years

old. Considering her poor social skills, this move was a challenge for her, especially at school.

Despite her struggles, she managed to overcome the challenges that come with relocating homes,

and more importantly, it had significant effects on her medical condition. Sabrina’s medical

conditions imposed a sheltered childhood for her, which really affected certain aspects of her

development, but her family ensured that she would get the most of what she had.
PEPSI Screening 3

Physical Development

Sabrina is exceedingly tall for her age. At 12, she is 66 inches tall and weighs 114

pounds. According to Healthline, the average height for 12-year-old females is 59.4 inches

(Biggers & Gill, n.d.). This means that Sabrina is taller than most of her peers and some of her

teachers. Due to her height, she feels visible to everyone, which she dislikes. Her physician

inferred that her asthma medications such as Flovent, have contributed to her height at an early

age. According to John Cunha, a medical editor for RxList, stated “Flovent HFA (fluticasone

propionate) is a steroid used to prevent asthma attacks” (Side Effects of Flovent HFA

(Fluticasone Propionate HFA), Warnings, Uses, n.d.). This means, Flovent contains

corticosteroids which are a type of steroid that can significantly affect a child’s growth. Sabrina

took this medication daily for many years. In addition to her height, Sabrina also has a

compromised immune system from her asthma medication, which results in her getting sick

frequently. According to Nerin Bahceciler, “long-term treatment with systemic steroids exerts

immune-suppressive effects on the cellular immune system and increases the susceptibility to all

types of intracellular infections” (Bahceciler, n.d.). This demonstrates one reason for Sabrina’s

limited outdoor exposure.

As mentioned earlier, Sabrina suffers from asthma. For the eight years that she lived in

Maui, she had asthma attacks every year, sometimes multiple times a year. A major contributor

to these attacks is Hawaii’s high humidity level and vog (volcanic smog). According to the U.S.

Geological Survey (USGS), “aerosol particles in vog can also penetrate deep into human lungs

and, at elevated levels, can induce symptoms of asthma” (What Health Hazards Are Posed by

Vog (Volcanic Smog)? | U.S. Geological Survey, n.d.). This means that vog can trigger

respiratory conditions such as asthma, hence, Sabrina’s frequent asthma attacks. Although her
PEPSI Screening 4

parents took her out as much as they could, Sabrina was limited to outdoor activities because of

her condition.

Additionally, she was also diagnosed with tachycardia in 2015 during one of her asthma

attacks. Mayo Clinic states “in tachycardia, an irregular electrical signal (impulse) starting in the

upper or lower chambers of the heart causes the heart to beat faster” (Tachycardia - Symptoms

and Causes, 2022). This also shows another reason Sabrina’s mother restricted her with physical

activities such as sports. When Sabrina plays, she is told to pay attention to her heartbeat because

it tends to beat faster than normal, resulting in shortness of breath or lightheadedness.

In other words, Sabrina’s asthma and heart condition have affected her physical growth.

The effects of her medications are shown in her height, and her immune system. Her asthma and

compromised immune system limited her opportunities to get involved in outdoor and

extracurricular activities. When her heart condition was discovered, it even restricted more of her

already limited opportunities. Her physical development created a domino effect in her overall

development which will be discussed later.

Emotional Development

When Sabrina was younger, she had little emotional control. There were many instances

when Sabrina would have extremely bad tantrums over the simplest things such as losing a

game, limited electronic usage, or being confused with homework. In these instances, she would

act aggressively by screaming as loud as she could or throwing items. It is normal for kids to

have tantrums. In fact, Mayo Clinic claims that when a child is frustrated, they often have

tantrums due to their inability to express their emotions through words (Temper Tantrums in

Toddlers: How to Keep the Peace, n.d.). However, Sabrina’ extreme tantrums were also
PEPSI Screening 5

contributed by the constant compromising that her family demonstrated for her due to her

conditions. Her family felt terrible for her not having a different childhood experience. As a

result, they always wanted to make her happy by getting things her way.

By the age of seven, Sabrina’s parents taught her to express her emotions through words.

KidsHelpline states “kids who are able to identify, understand, express and manage a wide range

of feelings experience long term benefits to their mental health and wellbeing (Helping Kids

Identify and Express Feelings, 2018). So, instead of throwing tantrums like she used to, Sabrina

can control her emotions through words. This is beneficial for her because it demonstrates an

advancement in her emotional development. However, just like any other child, Sabrina cries

when she is extremely overwhelmed by negative emotions.

Additionally, Sabrina has low self-esteem. This timid personality comes from her

sheltered childhood and lack of social interactions with other people aside from her family and

school. According to Timothy Legg, parents’ overprotectiveness can cause their children to be

timid due to lack of experiences that develop social skills (Legg, 2021). Due to her condition, her

mother was overprotective of her which limited her opportunities for developing social skills.

Sabrina understands that she lacks experience, and she tries to change that by stepping outside of

her comfort zone. For instance, she tried out for her school’s volleyball team, but failed to make

the first cut. Based on her story, I concluded that Sabrina did not make the cut because of her

lack of self-confidence. She mentioned that everyone who tried out seemed to know each other,

and she felt left out because she did not know anyone. Despite her courage to try, failing to make

the cut showed her lack of self-confidence.

Ultimately, Sabrina is emotionally mature compared to most kids her age. She

understands that her tantrums from when she was younger are completely inappropriate for her
PEPSI Screening 6

age. She also learned to identify her emotions and express them through words. When faced by

overwhelming situations, she cries out of frustration like any other child. She is aware that her

emotions such as fear tend to overpower her willingness to achieve her goals. For that reason,

she is working to overcome her emotions such as fear.

Philosophical Development

Sabrina is very mindful of what is perceived to be right or wrong. Although Sabrina’s

parents are strict, she never lied to her parents because of the way her mother puts more

emphasis on the value of honesty and trust rather than focusing on the punishment. According to

Pamela Li, a contributor at Parenting for Brain, “the likelihood of lying about misbehavior is

greater for kids who expect harsh punishment such as spanking” (Li, 2022). As much as

possible, Sabrina tries to avoid troubles, however, as a person, mistakes and troubles are

inevitable. In cases where Sabrina misbehaves, she admits to it immediately because she knows

that punishment is less severe when she is honest. She also feels extremely guilty to the point

where she cries about it.

In addition, Sabrina’s parents never shout at her for any misbehavior; instead, they

discuss it calmly and understandingly. According to Polly Logan-Banks and Richard Gilham,

raising your voice at children teaches them that shouting is an acceptable behavior when upset

(Logan & Gilham, n.d.). That said, Sabrina learned the value of respect. In fact, Logan and

Gilham also claimed that “One of the best ways to teach [a] child to be respectful is to always

treat him with respect” (Logan & Gilham, n.d.). This means listening to them without

interrupting and making them feel understood or heard. Children pick up the same habits their

parents demonstrate at home.

PEPSI Screening 7

Sabrina’s learned values are important in life; however, she seems to associate being

respectful with not standing up for herself when provoked, even by peers. Although it is good for

children to avoid any confrontations or conflicts, teaching them to be assertive and stand up for

themselves is important for their social development.

Social Development

As mentioned earlier, Sabrina has poor social skills due to her limited opportunities for

social interaction outside of her family and classroom. The Department of Education published

an article that states “children’s development of conversation and social skills is best supported

when engaged in meaningful, sustained, and rich language experiences” (Conversation and

Social Skills, 2020). This means that being engaged in environments such as community service,

afterschool programs, clubs and friendships develop social skills that are beneficial for children.

Aside from her classroom, Sabrina is not involved in any socially enriching environments.

Although she tried joining sports to overcome her fear of social interaction, she failed to make

the team due to her lack of self-confidence. That said, most of her interaction is with her family,

educators, and some of her close friends. Despite the positive effects of this, she still lacks social

skills for interactions outside of her usual environments.

Sabrina’s social awkwardness is also due to low self-esteem. In fact, Chris MacLeod, a

therapist with a B.A. Honors in Psychology and a Master of Social Work, claims that "a core

problem for many socially awkward people is that they have poor self-esteem or

self-confidence” (MacLeod, 2016). In Sabrina’s case her self-esteem is negatively affected by

puberty. According to Eric Stice, an Associate of Psychology, “One of the most intense changes

to occur at puberty involves body image, which refers to cognitive and emotional perceptions of
PEPSI Screening 8

one's body. (Hayward, 2009, p.61). Sabrina’s appearance is changing; for instance, her skin is

breaking out, which she is very much aware of. Insecurities are evident in Sabrina’s recent

behaviors, and she demonstrates this by wearing masks to school despite it being not necessary,

to cover her acne breakouts. Encouragement and positive body image are crucial for Sabrina’s

age because it can lead to social withdrawal if disregarded.

Additionally, Sabrina is also an introvert. According to Rachel Reiff Ellis of WebMD,

“An introvert is a person with qualities of a personality type… [where] they feel more

comfortable focusing on their inner thoughts and ideas, rather than what’s happening externally”

(Ellis, 2022). Ellis also claimed that introverts tend to enjoy spending time with just one or two

people, rather than large groups or crowds. This is relevant to Sabrina’s personality where she

enjoys being alone or prefers to be surrounded by one or two friends. She dislikes large crowds

and finds it exhausting. Just like an introvert, Sabrina is very much self-aware and prefers to

keep her thoughts to herself, or expresses them through art. Her parents are not introverts, so her

environment has an influence on her introversion. Andre Sólo of Introvert, Dear, claimed that

“introversion isn’t totally genetic. It gets influenced by your environment at a young age, and our

genes allow a certain amount of flexibility in response”(Sólo, 2016). This shows that despite

Sabrina’s parents being extroverts, she acquired an introvert personality through her environment

which is mostly at home. However, Sabrina would demonstrate extroversion when surrounded

by people close to her, like her uncle and sister.

Intellectual Development

Piaget believed that children ages 12 and above go through the Formal Operational Stage

which “involves an increase in logic, the ability to use deductive reasoning, and an understanding
PEPSI Screening 9

of abstract ideas” (Cherry, 2022). This means children can systematically solve a problem in a

logical and methodical way. Sabrina falls under this category and can think about abstract and

hypothetical ideas that lead to multiple solutions or outcomes. Aside from her outstanding

academic performance, she demonstrates her use of strategy and thought by solving a Rubik's

cube multiple times. According to Shania Sheth, an Intern at Sunnybrook Research Institute,

“solving the cube requires a lot of concentration to solve and…keeping your brain active and

focused allows you to process information faster” (Sheth, n.d.). This shows Sabrina’s ability to

think critically and produce solutions to solving the 3-dimensional puzzle.

Another way Sabrina demonstrates Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage is through

language development. According to Michelle Anthony, PHD, “11-13 year olds demonstrate an

increased ability to look beyond literal interpretations and understand the metaphoric uses of

language” (Anthony, n.d.). Sabrina likes to read, although she never read books that fall under

mystery, fantasy, and romance genres, she has always shown interest in them when she was

young. She never read them because the type of language used in these genres are different from

her level of language development. However, Sabrina started reading these types of books last

year when normally, she just asks about them. This demonstrates her ability to understand

figurative language. As a result, her vocabulary has expanded which improves her language

development.
PEPSI Screening 10

Graph

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Age Norm

Recommendations

Sabrina’s heart condition has been cleared by her physician. She also has not had any

asthma attacks since moving to Las Vegas in late 2018. With that, she recently stopped taking

medications for these conditions. However, her immune system is still compromised, so I would

suggest that she eats healthy, takes plenty of vitamins, and does more physical outdoor activities.

Sabrina’s overall emotional development is advanced for her age norm. She can identify,

understand, and express her emotions with words. The only thing she needs to work on is to not

let her fears overtake her. Although fear is normal for everyone, Sabrina’s fears are a result of her
PEPSI Screening 11

lack of confidence. I would suggest encouraging her with genuine and positive support through

compliments for her strengths, and to avoid harsh criticisms.

Sabrina does not need strict or harsh punishments for her misbehavior. By avoiding harsh

punishments, she will continue to be honest and learn from her actions. Normally, children her

age are learning to lie to get things their way or avoid any sort of punishment. In Sabrina’s case,

she does not have any reason to lie because she also values respect. As mentioned in her

philosophical development section, she seems to associate being respectful with not being

assertive or standing up for herself, when provoked. Avoiding conflicts is always good, but it is

also important to teach children to take a stand for themselves, and be assertive for their own

safety, and to improve their confidence.

Social development is where Sabrina is lacking the most. To address this, she must be

involved in other social interactions outside of her home and classroom. For instance, she can

participate in community service that interests her. She can also join after school programs such

as clubs and sports.

Finally, her intellectual development is advanced for her age norm. She seems to

understand concepts covered in her class because of her 4.0 GPA. She also reads books with

advanced language use such as figurative language because she now understands its concept. She

can also pick up new concepts that involve patterns, and algorithms which are shown by her

outstanding math performance, and ability to solve a Rubik’s cube.

PEPSI Screening 12

References

Anthony, M. (n.d.). Language Development in 11-13 Year Olds. Scholastic. Retrieved February

21, 2023, from

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/social-emotional-learning/development-m

ilestones/language-development-11-13-year-olds.html

Bahceciler, N. N. (n.d.). Does inhaled corticosteroid treatment result in a secondary immune

deficiency predisposing to recurrent infections? PubMed. Retrieved February 21, 2023,

from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23061612/

Biggers, A., & Gill, K. (n.d.). When Do Girls Stop Growing? Median Height, Genetics & More.

Healthline. Retrieved February 20, 2023, from

https://www.healthline.com/health/when-do-girls-stop-growing

Branden, N. (n.d.). How To Increase Your Overall Self-Esteem Or Self-Confidence. Succeed

Socially.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from

https://www.succeedsocially.com/selfesteem

Cherry, K. (2022, December 16). Piaget's 4 Stages of Cognitive Development Explained.

Verywell Mind. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from

https://www.verywellmind.com/piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development-2795457

Conversation and social skills. (2020, August 26). Department of Education. Retrieved February

21, 2023, from

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/professionals/learning/ecliteracy/interacting

withothers/Pages/conversationandsocialskills.aspx
PEPSI Screening 13

Ellis, R. R. (2022, September 3). Signs of an Introvert Personality: Types, Traits &

Characteristics. WebMD. Retrieved February 20, 2023, from

https://www.webmd.com/balance/introvert-personality-overview

Hayward, C. (Ed.). (2009). Gender Differences at Puberty. Cambridge University Press.

Helping kids identify and express feelings. (2018, June 1). Kids Helpline. Retrieved February 21,

2023, from

https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/helping-kids-identify-and-express-feelings

Legg, T. J., & Ditzell, J. (2021, March 19). Shyness: Causes, Signs, and Treatment. Healthline.

Retrieved February 20, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/health/shyness#causes

Li, P. (2022, November 18). 7 Reasons Why Children Lie and The Best Ways To Deal With It.

Parenting For Brain. Retrieved February 20, 2023, from

https://www.parentingforbrain.com/why-do-kids-lie/

Logan, P., & Gilham, R. (n.d.). How to teach your child respect - BabyCentre UK. Baby Centre.

Retrieved February 21, 2023, from

https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a1021948/how-to-teach-your-child-respect

Side Effects of Flovent HFA (Fluticasone Propionate HFA), Warnings, Uses. (n.d.). RxList.

Retrieved February 21, 2023, from

https://www.rxlist.com/flovent-hfa-side-effects-drug-center.htm

Sólo, A. (2016, March 14). Are You Born an Introvert, or Do You Become One? Introvert, Dear.

Retrieved February 20, 2023, from

https://introvertdear.com/news/are-you-born-an-introvert-or-do-you-become-one/

Tachycardia - Symptoms and causes. (2022, October 22). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved February 21,

2023, from
PEPSI Screening 14

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tachycardia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355

127

Temper tantrums in toddlers: How to keep the peace. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved February 20,

2023, from

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/tantrum/a

rt-20047845

What health hazards are posed by vog (volcanic smog)? | U.S. Geological Survey. (n.d.).

USGS.gov. Retrieved February 20, 2023, from

https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-health-hazards-are-posed-vog-volcanic-smog