Blythe Forehand, Leigh Ellen Logan, Savanah Shore and Creslee Parrish
University of Alabama at Birmingham Elise is a 40-month-old female with a diagnosis of a severe seizure disorder, otherwise known as epilepsy. Elise also depicts a developmental delay. At the onset of Elise’s seizures, she loses most of her control over her motor and communicative skills. Presently, the seizures occur fifteen to twenty-two times per week, with most of them being grand mal seizures, also known as tonic-clonic seizures. These types of seizures are characterized by violent muscle contractions and a loss of consciousness (Mayo Clinic, 2016). There is no cure for epilepsy, but it can be treated with medications. Elise is currently on two different seizure medications, Tegretol and valproic acid. Unfortunately these medications have not been successful at managing her seizures. Due to the lack of improvement from …show more content…
Mike and Lucy are in their mid to late thirties. Mike is a respiratory therapist and Lucy has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She stays at home to homeschool their five children. Elise is the fourth out of five children. She has two older brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister who is still an infant. Elise’s inconsistent behavior, due to the seizures, makes it hard for her siblings to interact with her. The family lives in a house on a six-acre goat farm located in Wetumpka, Alabama, a small rural community. The family is concerned with additives in their diet; therefore, they raise goats for milk. The family does not practice a particular religion, but adheres to the Libertarian philosophy of free will and autonomy. Libertarians also observe the right of dominion over their own lives. They seek liberty and adhere to the belief of the freedom to make their own choices (The Advocates,