Tiffany is an 8-year-old girl brought in by her mother for psychiatric evaluation. Her mother reported that Tiffany had always been a more “difficult” child than her older brother, but things had become markedly worse since she had entered school. Tiffany’ teacher reported that she was academically capable but had trouble getting along with other children. She was given to tantrums and would often shout at other children in class or upon the playground. She typically cried when dropped off for school and her teacher reported that she cried frequently during class. She had little ability to make friends at school and her mother reports that Tiffany has never had a best friend.
When the therapist spoke with Tiffany alone she responded with hesitant, intermittent mumbles to questions regarding school, classmates, and family. When questioned about her Olaf doll, a character from the movie Frozen, she visibly …show more content…
Her development over the first year of life was normal. She was able to sit without support by 7 months, crawl at 10 months, and stand without aid by 12 months. She began to walk at 15 months. Regular visits to the pediatrician went well and she was immunized at appropriate times. Tiffany spoke her first words at 11 months and began to use sentences by age 3. From an early age, her parents noticed that she had very few interests. She would fixate on 3 specific Disney dolls that she owned and the corresponding movies. All other games, toys, and activities were ignored. If asked to play with other toys, she would often fly into an intense, inconsolable tantrum. She would arrange the dolls in a manner that mimicked a scene from the movie, lining them up in a row, in the same order, and would not allow them to be removed until she decided she was finished with them. If someone attempted to rearrange or remove the dolls before she was done would result in a
When the therapist spoke with Tiffany alone she responded with hesitant, intermittent mumbles to questions regarding school, classmates, and family. When questioned about her Olaf doll, a character from the movie Frozen, she visibly …show more content…
Her development over the first year of life was normal. She was able to sit without support by 7 months, crawl at 10 months, and stand without aid by 12 months. She began to walk at 15 months. Regular visits to the pediatrician went well and she was immunized at appropriate times. Tiffany spoke her first words at 11 months and began to use sentences by age 3. From an early age, her parents noticed that she had very few interests. She would fixate on 3 specific Disney dolls that she owned and the corresponding movies. All other games, toys, and activities were ignored. If asked to play with other toys, she would often fly into an intense, inconsolable tantrum. She would arrange the dolls in a manner that mimicked a scene from the movie, lining them up in a row, in the same order, and would not allow them to be removed until she decided she was finished with them. If someone attempted to rearrange or remove the dolls before she was done would result in a