Question

A 2-year-old client, who has had multiple hospitalizations for treatment of a congenital disorder, is lying curled in bed holding a stuffed animal and will not interact with the parents. What should the nurse identify as causing this clients behavior?

Answer 1

The 2-year-old client's non-interactive behavior may stem from psychological distress or resistant attachment disorder, often resulting from inconsistent caregiving and severe neglect as seen in documented cases like Danielle and Genie.

Step-by-step explanation:

The behavior of the 2-year-old client, who has had multiple hospitalizations and is now lying curled in bed holding a stuffed animal while not interacting with their parents, can be identified as being potentially caused by psychological distress or a resistant attachment disorder, which is characterized by clingy behavior paired with a rejection of attempts at interaction. Such resistant attachment disorders may develop due to inconsistent caregiving and can lead to children not wanting to explore or interact with their environment, out of fear or distrust towards caregivers or others they should normally be attached to. This pattern is similar to cases mentioned, such as Danielle and Genie, who showed severe effects of neglect in their ability to interact and form attachments.