Child Observation Paper

There are so many different levels of severity and various effects on the body, and observing Noah showed this to me. I have seen children adversely affected in a wheelchair and unable to talk at all, but that is not Noah. He is a three and half year old boy who just began preschool at Northern Shores Elementary this school year. Physically, Noah has low muscle tone, abnormal developed bones, and shortening of muscles and tendons. When he first came into the class he needed a walker and was unable to get up at all from a sitting position. He wears an orthopedic brace on his left lower leg and much of his muscle tone is affected on his left side. He has fine and gross motor delays to where he has trouble grasping things with his hands, holding

He has delayed speech and language, along with possible cognitive and social delays. He speaks very few words to anyone and when prompted to use words he refuses and typically acts out. However, he does understand everything that is said to him, even if he does not follow directions, as he should. Cognitive delays are seen in various ways, such as language skills and memory, but he is also only three and a half, so the delays may be mild or improve with interventions. Socially, he does not interact with other children, but prefers an adult’s attention instead. He does play side-by-side with peers, but rarely plays with his

He is expected to come in, unzip his backpack, and deposit his folder and backpack in the appropriate places. He gets his own chair for circle time, is encourages to participate as other students are, and is motivated to help clean up. He does specific activates that target fine motor skills, like cutting and coloring, and others that target self-care and gross motor skills, like taking care of lunch trash and cleaning up toys. The teachers encourage the use of words, and at times will withhold or pass him if he refuses to use words that he knows. Lastly, student models are paired with him to model academics and behavior for Noah and to assist him in some activities that he cannot complete on his