Case Study: Alyana is a new student at Lighthouse Childcare Center. Her mother reports that the family has moved seven times in the past four years since Alyana was born. Alyana has been in the care of many different people as her parents were looking for stable work. She spent extended time away from her parents, living with an aunt in another state. Alyana also briefly attended several different in-home daycares. On some occasions, she would spend time home alone with her parents, who have no other children. Alyana’s mother is concerned that her unstable environment may have affected Alyana’s social and emotional development. She wonders if moving frequently and spending time alone has affected Alyana’s ability to establish and maintain relationships. During playtime, Alyana often plays near the teacher, but alone. She likes making block towers or pushing cars. If the children play outside, Alyana chooses to swing on the swings or run around the yard, looking at things that she finds on the ground. Alyana is not interested in group play. Inside the classroom, she does not prefer the dress-up station or the kitchen area. Outside, she avoids being involved in games of tag. If another child gets hurt during play, Alyana will walk away from them. However, Alyana does seek interaction with her teachers. She will often follow them around and bring them items to look at. She will copy certain adult activities, even pretending to be the teacher at times by mimicking their actions. For a four-year-old, do you think Alyana has some deficits in her social and emotional development? At what stage is it more appropriate for a child to be involved in parallel play rather than group play? Would you say Alyana is interested in make-believe? What is the difference between make-believe role play and just mimicking actions? What are some positives you can see in Alyana’s behavior that may indicate she has the ability to catch up in her social and emotional development with appropriate support?
