ABSTRACT
This case highlights the need for thorough medical and neurological screening before making any psychiatric diagnosis, even if the patient has a classical syndromic presentation. Presented here is a case of a female in her late 40s coming to our psychiatric outpatient with symptoms suggestive of catatonia. She was treated at a private clinic for depression. As her symptoms deteriorated, she was brought to our hospital for further management. She was diagnosed with catatonia during admission assessment. A detailed neurological assessment later revealed slight weakness in the right upper and lower limb. Following this, a CT scan was done and was reported to have a hypodense area involving the bilateral frontal and basifrontal region, more pronounced on the left side (likely to be acute/subacute). MRI was subsequently done and was found to be suggestive of glioblastoma NOS (not otherwise specified) involving the bilateral cerebral hemisphere which was later confirmed by the histopathology report.
ABSTRACT
Adolescence is a critical transition period between childhood and adulthood. They experience biological, emotional, and social changes and require constant affection, support, and supervision during this period. Adolescents often face stressors from various sources, which can exacerbate behavioral issues. A 13-year-old boy, born 15 years after marriage by in vitro fertilization (IVF) to parents in their late 40s, was brought to the outpatient department. He had presented with complaints of getting angry, stealing money, lying, and threatening his parents for his demands for the past six months. His behavior intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic due to social isolation and prolonged home confinement. His parents said that lately, he has also gotten difficult to manage at home. He was diagnosed with conduct disorder. Despite initial management with behavioral therapy, the boy experienced frequent exacerbations of symptoms. Further assessment identified parental behavior as a contributing factor to the child's conduct disorder. Interventions incorporating family-focused therapy (FFT) and modifications in parenting techniques were implemented, resulting in an extended period of behavioral remission. Parenting style plays an instrumental role in defining the positive and negative outcomes a child will experience. Hence, the parents were counseled and psycho-educated about effective parenting. This case underscores the crucial role of parenting styles in influencing adolescent behavior and highlights the importance of family-centered interventions in managing behavioral problems during adolescence.