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The following case started with a letter from the boy's father. He said that his son had shown signs of emotional stress for some years, currently manifesting itself in a difficulty with arithmetic and in school work generally. The father asked: does he suffer from emotional blockages or from some sort of emotional strain which makes it difficult for him to concentrate? or as a further alternative is it a question of basic intelligence? He asked for guidance and for advice in regard to the detail: would he be better living away from direct competition from his younger brother? There are three sons, aged 8 years 9 months, 7 years, and 3 years 9 months. The father usefully added a list of eight factors ‘which may have influenced the boy's development’:
Jason was post-mature at birth and apparently born starved.
As he was the first child his parents were inexperienced and anxious, so that his first four months were characterised by colic and crying.
His mother became pregnant when he was 4 months old, so that he had a brother at 13 months. For the birth of this baby the mother had to be absent for five weeks, because of an infection. There was great strain in the home at this time. The father was very busy.
Jason had a hernia operation at 2 years, he had another operation (bad appendicitis) at 4 years, and he had a skull injury after a fall soon afterwards. It was discovered at 6 that he sees with the two eyes in two different planes.
Jason has suffered from repeated bronchitis with some asthma, necessitating absences from school. This feature had nearly cleared.
He is left-handed and also he is not well co-ordinated physically.
In every way he has difficulty in competing with his brother next in age. Head-on clashes with his two parents are regular.