Question

Identify the disorder, symptoms, etiology and treatment for the disorder that is being discussed in the Mock Vignette below.

Valerie Gaspard is a 20-year-old single black woman who had recently immigrated to the United States from West Africa with her family to do missionary work. She visited the hospital due to frequent headaches, poor concentration, and chronic fatigue.

She was only 78 pounds and her height was 5 feet 1 inch, resulting in a body mass index (BMI) of 14.7. This is severely underweight. Ms. Gaspard had missed her last menstrual period.

When Ms. Gaspard recalled her meals the day before she was consuming only 600 calories. Ms. Gaspard provided multiple reasons for her poor intake. The first was lack of appetite: “My brain doesn’t even signal that I’m hungry,” she said, “I have no desire to eat throughout the whole day. Secondly, she said, “I just feel so uncomfortable after eating.” She walked approximately 3-4 hours per day. She denied that her activity was motivated by a desire to burn calories. She did not have a car and disliked waiting for the bus. Ms. Gaspard said, “I know I need to gain weight. I’m too skinny. She said her family had been “nagging” for a year about it.

Answer 1

Disorder:

The patient is experiencing a type of eating disorder called Anorexia Nervosa

Symptoms :

The symptoms exhibited by the patient are

• Extremely underweight (BMI :14.7) normal 18 to 24.9
• Low calories intake (600calorie ) normal 2400 calorie /day
• Exercise after eating to burn calorie (walking 3_4 hours a day)
• Desire to burn calories even when knowing she is underweight
• Lack of appetite, no desire to eat
• Other :poor concentration ,headache,fatigue, missed periods

Etiology :

• Adolescence due to pressure, media,to maintain zero size
• Work style
• Recent shifting from one geographical area to otger part
• Poor eating habit
• Altered dopamine and serotonin function

Treatment :

• Cognitive behaviour therapy:Adolescence focused therapy teaches them about their problem and its impact on health
• Family therapy :informing them about the type of foods to be given and to monitor their child's eating pattern
• Medication : Selective Seratonin reuptake inhibitor, Appetite stimulants,