Lence Lazoroski Mary S Case Study PS520
Mary’s Case Study
Unit 5
Lence Lazoroski
PS520-01: Neuropsychology
March 4, 2012
Case Study Summary
Mary S. is a 17-year-old Latina High School Junior who is popular amongst her peers and performs academically in the top quarter of her class. One day, while at a party, she was dared by her friends to dive off a second floor balcony in the swimming pool. When she dove head first, she slipped and experienced a sharp blow to her head on the side of the pool. She was unconscious and had to be pulled out of the water by her friends. Once out of the water, her friends noticed that that she was bleeding freely on the side of her head where she struck the side of the pool.
Mary was rushed to a hospital ICU where PET scans were given which indicated bruising and hemorrhaging on the frontal lobes tissues. Additional injuries were suspected as well. She was placed on precautionary life support. After two hours in the ICU, she woke up moaning incoherently and moving restlessly. She was examined by a neurologist and responded to strongly present verbal and tactile stimuli; she opened her eyes briefly, looked at the nurse and moved her finger upon request. Her level of responsiveness gradually began to improve overnight. The following morning she was awake and could recognize and weakly verbally respond to her parents. After one week in the hospital, Mary was released to her parents by hospital Staff who advised her parents to gradually allow her to increase her activity level at home. At home, Mary continued to recover with few apparent problems. At the neurological follow up one week later, Mary was examined and then cleared to return home and continue to recover until she felt well enough to return to high school. Mary stayed at home for two more weeks and then asked her parents if she could return to school to finish out the year.
Upon Mary’s return to school, problems emerged. She came home the first day and complained that she didn’t
Unit 5
Lence Lazoroski
PS520-01: Neuropsychology
March 4, 2012
Case Study Summary
Mary S. is a 17-year-old Latina High School Junior who is popular amongst her peers and performs academically in the top quarter of her class. One day, while at a party, she was dared by her friends to dive off a second floor balcony in the swimming pool. When she dove head first, she slipped and experienced a sharp blow to her head on the side of the pool. She was unconscious and had to be pulled out of the water by her friends. Once out of the water, her friends noticed that that she was bleeding freely on the side of her head where she struck the side of the pool.
Mary was rushed to a hospital ICU where PET scans were given which indicated bruising and hemorrhaging on the frontal lobes tissues. Additional injuries were suspected as well. She was placed on precautionary life support. After two hours in the ICU, she woke up moaning incoherently and moving restlessly. She was examined by a neurologist and responded to strongly present verbal and tactile stimuli; she opened her eyes briefly, looked at the nurse and moved her finger upon request. Her level of responsiveness gradually began to improve overnight. The following morning she was awake and could recognize and weakly verbally respond to her parents. After one week in the hospital, Mary was released to her parents by hospital Staff who advised her parents to gradually allow her to increase her activity level at home. At home, Mary continued to recover with few apparent problems. At the neurological follow up one week later, Mary was examined and then cleared to return home and continue to recover until she felt well enough to return to high school. Mary stayed at home for two more weeks and then asked her parents if she could return to school to finish out the year.
Upon Mary’s return to school, problems emerged. She came home the first day and complained that she didn’t
References: All About TBI, (2012). All About Traumatic Brain Injury. Retrieved on March 18, 2012 from: http://www.allabouttbi.com/ CDC, (2003) Cognitive Atlas, (nd). Retrieved on March 4, 2012 from: http://www.cognitiveatlas.org/task/id/tsk_4a57abb949ec0 Devlin, H., (2012) National MS Society, (nd). Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT). Retrieved on March 4, 2012 from: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/for-professionals/researchers/clinical-study-measures/pasat/index.aspx Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, (nd) Titolo, T., (2010). Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Retrieved on March 18, 2012 from: http://brainandspine.titololawoffice.com/articles/brain-injury/pet-scan/ Wechsler, D., (2012) Western Psychological Services, (nd). Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Retrieved on March 4, 2012 from: http://portal.wpspublish.com/portal/page?_pageid=53,69289&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL