EDU 220, December 5th, 2013

Name: John

Date: December 5, 2013

Childs Birthdate: October 15th 1996

Childs Sex: Male

Physical

1. Summary of Research

The normal physical development for 17 year old boys is they are still maturing and gaining strength,

with muscle mass and height ("Child development," 2008). They are also concerned about their body

image and have realistic limits to which their body can be tested ("Characteristics of 15-18," 2010). They

have jobs, could be dating, might be on a sports team or teams or they are active in a drama club, honor

society, etc. They have friends and go out to the movies or school events (Witmer, 2013). By the age of

17-years-old, a teen tends to like their sleep when they are able to get it. Between activities, working

and homework, getting to bed at a reasonable hour can be difficult. At some point, something will have

to give and it is usually the sleep deprived teen's health (Witmer, 2013). Seventeen-year-old teens by all

rights should be stressed, but they tend to thrive on everything going on around them. They've handled

a busy schedule at age sixteen and often hop from one thing to the next without much worry. Things

only tend to become stressful for them when they over schedule and need to figure out how to be in

two places at once. Parents need to advise them, not make the decision for their independence-learning

teen, and so be sure to use their active listening skills (Witmer, 2013).
 2. Summary of Observations

John is 17 year male with mental retardation. His physical appearance is the same of a normal 17 year

old young adult. Standing at 58 he can do all the physical activity anyone else can do. He catches a

football and plays catch without even flinching. In January John was weighing 160 pounds and by August

he weighed 135 pounds. His mother informed me his medication was making him gain weight and he

was not doing all the activities he was used to doing. He increased muscle mass and his eating habits

diminished. As far as body image, John does not have a fixation on the way he looks. Like most 17 year

old males, John suffers from acne. He likes to play with fidgets and does not have a favorite football

team or worry about getting a date for Friday night. As far as school work goes John does not receive

any homework. He does attend the special needs classrooms and receives one on one attention the

majority of the time. When John gets stressed out he will sing what is very often called sad songs he

will make his voice raise to a high octave and begins to cry.

Emotional/Behavioral

1. Summary of Research

Seventeen-year-old teens are more in-control of their moods and emotions. They form stronger

relationships and are able to build strong bonds with friends. No more drifting back and forth between

cliques. They begin to see their future and can feel both excited and apprehensive about it. The 17-year-

old teen has less conflict with parents but will still push for more independence. They will act

independently. Parents will see a difference in maturity at this age, as 17-year-old teens tend to take

more responsibility for themselves (Witmer, 2013). For the most part, a 17-year-old teen's moods are

calmer than they were in earlier years. This is due to less teen angst and fewer growing pains. The fact

that they have more control over what is going on in their lives and have gained some independence

help keep the mood swings of younger years in check (Witmer, 2013). The year of being 17 is a time for
dreaming and looking forward to where your teen wants to go and what they want to do. The world is

their oyster and they get to pick and choose the one with the biggest pearl. While they may be

apprehensive, they are less so than when the future is imminent at age 18. Right now the future still

seems like an exciting adventure (Witmer, 2013).

2. Summary of Observations

As far as controlling his mood, John seems as though he cannot. Certain things trigger John and to this

day his mother does not know what it could be. The staff that works with him believes it could be

certain noises or people. When he gets off the bus for school you never know what kind of mood he will

be in. With John being non-verbal it is hard for staff to understand just what could be wrong when John

starts to react in a certain manner. John likes to be as independent as possible. He wants to be able to

use the bathroom by himself but staff cannot allow that because John is a runner. The moment you

turn him loose he will run down the hall (and sometimes out of the building) causing you to chase him.

He finds this amusing and you cant help but laugh because its one of the only times he will laugh. He

can use the bathroom with no problems besides needing supervision. He can also eat on his own

without any help. John has a different way of dealing with his moods. He will throw himself on the floor

and throw other objects at staff if something is bothering him. He will also bounce up and down on hard

chairs with great force. He has broken 16 facility chairs in my presence. When in public John has to have

his hand held in order for him to not run off.

Philosophical/Moral

1. Summary of Research

At this age, "alpha dog" and "queen bee" behavior isn't unusual, but things can get dangerous when that

tendency is paired with verbal or physical threats -- the way it's so often depicted in the media. The
violence that teens see in games, on TV shows, and at the movies needs discussion so that they don't

"pose" violently in real life. Adults should still try to keep teens away from anything that pairs sex and

violence (unless it's portrayed as destructive, with a clear pro-social message). And while it's almost

become a rite of passage for teens to watch super-violent, scary R-rated films, that doesn't mean they

won't be frightened. While teens aren't going to emulate the horrible behavior in these movies, they are

still teens, and nightmares aren't beyond possibility ("What is appropriate," 2011). In addition to

cognitive development, there are stage theories regarding the moral development that people go

through as they get older. Piaget believed that when children are young, they abide by moral realism in

which they adhere strictly to the rules no matter the situation. As children get older, they develop more

interpersonal relationships that lead to personal discoveries where they begin to understand that rules

may be broken for the greater good. ("What is appropriate," 2011)

2. Summary of Observations

I know for a fact that John does not handle dark places very well. As far as violence goes he understands

when he is hurting someone or when someone is hurting him. He does not like the movies. He has been

told he is not allowed to go due to his behavior from previous times. His mother does not allow him to

watch certain movies. John can only process things on a 7 year olds development. A lot of things frighten

John. I can understand when something is bothering him as far as violence and portrayals of sadness.

Social

1. Summary of Research

When boys reach this point in their lives they normally will start to be less aggressive towards their

parents. They also try to have more independence from their parents. Boys will try to keep a stable

group of friends rather than a wide variety. While some are leaving for college they want try and keep in
touch with some ("Child development," 2008). Teens spend less time than they used to with their

families. They prefer to spend more time with friends or alone. They seek friends that share similar

beliefs, values, and interests. Second, self-awareness around emotions occurs as teens begin to identify

and name their own emotions. Teens start to become more socially aware, recognizing emotions and

feelings in those around them; this is the start of developing empathy for others. For instance, in a

teens group of friends, he/ she might begin to notice how each person reacts a little differently to the

same situation. They also begin to manage those emotions; in psychological terms this is known as

emotional regulation. For example, a teen might take a step back and think about how angry he/she was

about what a friend did. Instead of immediately showing that anger to the friend, the teen would

consider possible reasons for the friend's actions, why that happened, and finally possible ways he/she

might react to keep the friendship intact. This process is an important step in learning to interact and get

along with peers as well as making and keeping friends ("What's normal in," 2011).

2. Summary of Observations

John likes to keep to himself and most people really have to gain his trust in order for him to even go

near them. His mom says he does not have friends. She says it is hard for him because he is nonverbal

and still has some severe behavior problems. In our program he is not too fond of anyone. John has a

tough time depending on people. As I said before with trusting people he cant be without staff holding

him which is I believe is a part of why he does not trust people as well. I am not home with John all the

time so I do not know just how much time he spends with his family. When every someone picks him up

they seem to be in a hurry or not wanting to deal with John because he gets into his moods quite often.

He doesnt seem to mind though. Any change John gets to see his mom is a good day. From what I have

observed mom has not been picking him up like she used to. Now when every his aunt comes to get

him, he hesitates and will not want to go with her. John does not seem possess any key interest besides
singing and jumping up and down. Having John be social is hard because a lot of things he does not want

to do. He does like to pop balloons whenever he has the chance.

Intellectual

1. Summary of Research

Thought becomes more abstract, incorporating the principles of formal logic. The ability to generate

abstract propositions, multiple hypotheses and their possible outcomes is evident. Thinking becomes

less tied to concrete reality ("Stages of intellectual," 2010). Older teenagers, such as those in this age

range, expand their logic and reasoning abilities, although many still struggle to match their thinking

abilities with their actions. Thus, a lot of kids will talk intelligently but then have trouble with planning

("Stages of intellectual," 2010). Because older teenagers are more intellectually advanced than a child or

younger teens, adults can have more back-and-forth conversations with them. Theyre better able to

understand other peoples points of views, and theyre more open to other perspectives and ideas.

("Stages of intellectual," 2010).

2. Summary of Observations

Johns thinking is very basic. If he sees it he wants it. The only thing I have seen him ask for his to go to

the bathroom. He does not understand that there are certain things you cannot do. In program they do

not do a lot of working with numbers or letters but they do make him think. The games that they play

allow him to search for either a correct correct color or correct shape. He will get it right nearly every

time. Mom does not talk too much about Johns intellectual abilities. It is very hard to have a

conversation with John because he is non-verbal. If you ask him yes or no questions he will usually

respond.
In conclusion, John has much ability when it comes to physical gifts. He can jump, run and swim when he

needs to. His emotional development is still on the rise and there is not telling whether he will be in a

stable place for his emotions. There is no telling just how far John can excel, but with more one on one

training he will accomplish great feats.