Gcu Case Studies

Dr. Bruce D. Perry was invited by the staff of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) to evaluate six year old Justin, who kept on throwing his feces and food at the staff. When Dr. Perry arrived at the PICU, he heard the loud screaming before he found the boy who was obviously malnourished and was wearing a loose diaper while sitting in a cage. The crib looked similar to a dog cage with iron bars and plywood wired to the top. Justin was being treated for severe pneumonia and would fight the staff when they would try to draw blood and he would tire out his IVs. Dr. Perry knew that the more anxious someone is then the harder it is for them to express their true feelings, thoughts, and history. He also knew it is much more difficult to form a positive relationship with a child who is anxious (Perry & Szalavitz, 2009). Instead of rushing in to question Justin, Dr. Perry wants to give him the opportunity to meet him and let him have control.
Perry learns that he was placed in his grandmother’s care when he was two months old. Justin’s grandmother was a very nurturing woman, but was severely obese. When Justin was eleven months old, his grandmother became ill and died a few weeks later. He then was placed in the care of Arthur, who was Justin’s grandmother’s boyfriend. Arthur was in his late sixties and did not know what to do with a young toddler so he called child protective services. CPS asked Arthur if he could keep Justin while they found him a permanent. Since Justin was with Arthur, CPS took their time while they handle more urgent cases. Arthur was clueless when it came caring for a child and since he made his living as a dog breeder, he applied that knowledge to raising Justin (Perry & Szalavitz, 2009). Justin was kept in a dog cage for five years and his only companionship came from