Question

Case/Story

This case focuses on a family living in an urban community. As you read through this story, pay special attention to the various social, cultural and emotional factors that influence the child’s treatment.

The Case of Lanesha Johnson

Lanesha Johnson is a 12-year-old firestorm—teetering on that edge between childhood and adolescence. Her temper, much like her asthma, is persistent. When Lanesha blows into clinic, it’s like she’s dragging her Grandma Marietta along, even though it’s the other way around. Marietta tries her best as Lanesha’s legal guardian, but she’s got a lot on her hands: she’s also raising her 10-year-old grandson Marcus and caring for her aging mother, Lillian. Lanesha is a fourth grader in a predominately African-American school where her desk often sits empty. She’s been out of school with asthma 14 days this year, many of which coincide with Lanesha’s serious seasonal allergy problems. She spends at least one night a week awake with a nighttime cough and has wheezing and coughing fits about 4 days out of the week. All this distraction probably doesn’t help with Lanesha’s grades, and she’s failing half of her classes. Lanesha shows up in clinic regularly with empty medicines (her daily controller and quick relief asthma meds) and complains about her Grandma Marietta’s lack of responsibility in refilling them. Marietta doesn’t have a financial problem buying medicine—all costs are paid by Medicaid—but she never can explain why she doesn’t get refills. She just says that it’s Lanesha’s responsibility anyway. Things to consider about this case

There are several issues to consider about this case. Is it unusual that Grandmother Marietta is the primary caregiver? What responsibilities do health care providers have in this situation?

How does Lanesha's temperament affect the situation?

Questions:

What are three aspects of the case that consider new information or that offered deeper context.

What are two aspects of the case that can apply in practice healthcare field now or in the future.

What is one aspect of the case that found confusing, created question for further consideration, or which would to learning more.

Answer 1

The three aspects of the case that consider new information are lack of parenting (mom and dad ) for caring such a child and this affects both social and cultural aspects of child's life. The disease that cause the reduced school performance an also affect the child's emotional aspect.

The aspects that can apply in practice or in the future are care for such children by special consideration. It means the child should be given with the awareness of the disease he or she is having and the technique of filling the medicines when it is empty. The need for regular use of medication to improve the performance of the child should be encouraged.Health education regarding the disease they have should be promoted. Especially when the child is just prior to the adolescent stage.

The confusing factor in this case is how the grandmother became the caregiver of the child. What happened to the parents of the child.