Severe Deprivation in Childhood: A Case Report from Thailand

Abstract

A 3 ½-year-old girl was incarcerated in a bamboo cage after it was feared she had contracted rabies. Six years later, when she was released, she had lost almost all motor control, displayed a number of stereotypies, was incontinent of both faeces and urine, and was diagnosed as having grand mal epilepsy. After four years of treatment (aged 13) she had shown considerable improvement and her mental age was seven years.