Risk Assessment of a Four-Year-Old Girl Born Without Limbs

Introduction

We each have a range of possibilities before us from the moment we are born. However, we are each also limited, at least in some ways, from the moment of our birth — we do not come into the world as blank slates. This paper examines the ways in which one child had many of her "choices" already made for her. The girl is now twelve. The assessment considers her parents' backgrounds and histories, as well as the limitations and opportunities determined by significant physical disabilities.

Father's Background and Its Implications

The first part of this assessment concerns the child's father. He is self-employed as a general contractor, finished high school, and speaks English at home. There are no specific warning signs related to his status. He appears relatively stable, although self-employment introduces a degree of financial instability not experienced by those who work for others. Self-employment also suggests he may lack access to affordable health insurance and, consequently, quality healthcare.

On the other hand, being self-employed means he likely has greater autonomy and may be more available as a parent than those with less flexible schedules. The child lives with the father, which gives his involvement added significance.

His educational level is an important part of any assessment of opportunities for his daughter's future. While individuals frequently receive more or less education than their parents, parental educational level remains a strong predictor of the educational level children are most likely to attain. In the current economy, a high school education may be adequate, but little more than adequate. According to research on socioeconomic status and educational attainment, parental education and income are among the most consistent predictors of children's long-term academic outcomes.

Mother's Education and Its Impact on Child Development

The mother, who is divorced from the child's father, introduces some additional risk factors for the child, though these are mitigated by the fact that she appears to play a relatively minor role in her daughter's life. The mother did not finish high school, most probably because she gave birth to the child when she was sixteen. Her limited formal education suggests that the daughter may not receive the kind of academic support that would be extremely helpful as she develops.

While the educational level of both parents matters, research has shown that the mother's education is especially influential. As Benjamin Ann notes, "[T]he mother's education is one of the most important factors influencing children's reading levels and other school achievements. Generally, traditional research has revealed that more highly educated mothers have greater success in providing their children with the cognitive and language skills that contribute to early success in school" (Gratz, 2006, p. 5).

The reason a mother's educational level tends to be more influential than the father's is that, in most families, the mother is more involved in and attentive to her children's education. This dynamic may differ in this family because of the custodial arrangements, which place the child primarily with her father. Still, the mother's limited engagement and low educational attainment represent meaningful risk factors. The broader literature on education and family structure consistently identifies maternal schooling as a key lever in children's developmental trajectories.