Over the early sessions the workers in the group noticed that Sam's mother seemed quite withdrawn and preoccupied; they surmised that she might be feeling somewhat depressed, in a new country with a small child. In the second session Sam was observed to climb, with some difficulty, into a toy car and then look in his mother's direction. She was talking to someone and did not notice for a while. Sam remained motionless, smiling at his mother but with his smile becoming a little more fixed. Eventually she saw him, waved and said, 'Hello, my darling.' Sam's smile widened and he started to play at driving the car. Some weeks later a similar observation was made. After climbing into the car, Sam smiled and scanned the room, but no one, including his mother, seemed to notice him. His smile gradually faded and he sat immobile in the car looking lost and sad.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
