Anna is currently enrolled in the special needs

Anna is currently enrolled in the "Special Needs Program for Children with Severe and
Profound Developmental Delays." She is four years old and has been diagnosed as suffering
from a "Pervasive Developmental Disorder." Her behavior is often "autistic-like" as she avoids
eye contact, makes repetitive and bizarre hand movements, and her speech is often echolalic. A
review of her developmental history shows that her development was apparently "normal" for
the first six months of her life. It was at that time Anna's mother developed severe depression
and spent a year in a mental institution. During that year, Anna was left in the care of an aunt,
who reportedly abused her both physically and psychologically. It was after her mother was
released from the hospital that Anna was first seen at the mental health center and diagnosed as
developmentally delayed.