Children
There are particular challenges in carrying out an MSE with young children and others with limited language such as people with intellectual impairment. The examiner would explore and clarify the individual's use of words to describe mood, thought content or perceptions, as words may be used idiosyncratically with a different meaning from that assumed by the examiner. In this group, tools such as play materials, puppets, art materials or diagrams (for instance with multiple choices of facial expressions depicting emotions) may be used to facilitate recall and explanation of experiences.
Read more about this topic: Mental Status Examination
Famous quotes containing the word children:
“Ladies and gentlemen are supposed to be looked after by others, like children and pets.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“If family communication is good, parents can pick up the signs of stress in children and talk about it before it results in some crisis. If family communication is bad, not only will parents be insensitive to potential crises, but the poor communication will contribute to problems in the family.”
—Donald C. Medeiros (20th century)
“Let children know you are human. It’s important for children to see that parents are human and make mistakes. When you’re sorry about something you’ve said or done, apologize! But don’t sound guilt ridden. It is best when parents apologize in a manner that is straightforward and sincere.”
—Saf Lerman (20th century)