Case Study

In a neighborhood within 3-5 miles of a former garbage dump and plastics and battery recycling plant site that have been shut down for just over a year, 56 children have become unexpectedly ill all exhibiting the same or similar overlapping symptoms. The symptoms include moderate to severe headaches, acute ABDOMINAL PAIN , low red blood cell counts, and in some patients, severe cases have exhibited seizures and kidney failure. Upon looking into the patient backgrounds of children of age to attend elementary school or higher, it was found that these children over the last 3-5 month period have been uncharacteristically irritable in school and at home and have had significant drops in their grades in school. More than half of the parents report their children have been acting more clutzy or uncoordinated during this last 3-5 month window. All 56 patients were from that same neighborhood, living in households with well water provided by simple ground water in houses that range from anywhere between 6-48 years old. The households shop at various supermarkets in the area and are made up of a variety of demographics (17% Hispanic, 36% White, 28% African American, 19% other/not specified). The adults in these households have suffered from occasional mild headaches during the last 3-5 months, but display no consistant moderate to severe symptomology. Since you are the head of the hospital unit dealing with these patients, it is up to you to make the proper diagnosis and begin treatments (if there are appropriate treatments to administer).

Questions to be answered in your essay (3-6 Pages plus references)

1) What could the contaminant/toxicant/pollutant be?

2) Where could the contaminant have likely come from? How?

3) Explain how all the information provided in the case study backs up your Diagnosis.

4) Describe any additional tests you might run to CONFIRM YOUR Diagnosis.

5) Based on your diagnosis, Describe the appropriate Treatment(s) that may be administered.