Stressors and Child Development

Throughout this past school year I had a 6-7 year old student whose caregivers struggled with poverty and grief, as well as the child. The boy came to school each day somewhat dirty and some days worse than others. His shoes were falling apart and sometimes he would wear the same shirts a few days in a row. You could tell he rarely, if ever, bathed and brushed his teeth. He would constantly complain about belly aches, tooth aches, head aches, etc. His mother passed away when he was about 3 and at the beginning of the school year his primary caregiver was his paternal grandmother and his father came in and out of the picture. By the end of the school year his father was the primary caregiver, however they lived at grandma and grandpa’s house. This little boy coped as best he could. He talked to me a lot about his mom, but I got the impression that there was not much talk about her at home. Some times he would just blurt out, "I miss my mom" or "I wish my mom was here", or "You know my mom's in heaven right?". Most times when he’d talk with me he’d cry. He visited the counselor a few times but in my opinion he still needed some grief counseling and ways to cope. I tried to help the process by listening when he would talk about her, not asking too many questions, but just letting him talk. When he would cry and wrap his arms around me I would pat his back and tell him nice things like, “I bet your mom is watching over you” or “I’m sure you miss her, but you’ll be ok”. I think about him often and hope as he grows he is able to cope and the pain of losing her becomes less each day.

War in Africa - Uganda and Sierra Leone

Many children in Africa are involved in child warfare; some willingly, some forced, some because they yearn to protect themselves and their family and some because they feel it will give them the structure they need to survive. Unfortunately many child soldiers end up living out their childhood through the wars, facing all kinds of threats and violence, poverty and despair, some even die. “Figures from UNICEF in 2000 show that in the last decade some 2 million children died, 6 million wounded or disabled, 12 million homeless, and another million orphaned or separated from their parents as a result of war” (Yina, 2008). Many studies have found that war can affect a child’s emotional, cognitive, social functioning and development. Children involved in war can experience depression, anxiety, changes in school performance, and other personal changes. One of the main stressors of children who experience warfare is post-traumatic stress disorder. Children who experience this may have troubles sleeping, relating to others, abuse alcohol and/or drugs, and possibly commit suicide (Yina, 2008).  Some will suffer from a lifetime of poverty and deprivation, especially those whom are refugees or displaced from their families. The attitudes and values of children whom experience war are also affected. Some feel lose hope for the future, some become aggressive, some even feeling guilty because they’ve been forced to grow up quickly and take on an adult role. “Children who are denied basic necessities for their physical and emotional welfare, and natural expressive outlets, are often at risk of ending up as soldiers for lack of something meaningful to do. And, for child soldiers in particular, exposure to war eventually alters the framework they use in making sense of danger, interrupts their moral development, and even makes them identify with the aggressor, thereby modeling their behavior on powerful, aggressive individuals” (Yina, 2008).

While there are many strategies to protecting children from warfare, one of the main protection pieces put into place is the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child which if recognized and applied and ensure the protection and safe development of children across the world. Another way that children of war can be protected is through the response of the international community, including creating effective safe areas where civilians and children can be removed from the conflict zones, providing security and support.

References:

Plunkett, Southall, M. D. (1998). War and children. 78(1), pp.72-77. doi: 10.1136/adc.78.1.72

Yina, M. (2008). Child soldiers in africa: The role of development communications. 20(1/2), pp.120-134.

Importance of Breastfeeding

Throughout my reading and research during this course and the last, I have gained a better understanding of the importance of breastfeeding for mom and baby. Breastfeeding allows the infant to receive the nutrition needed to grow and develop. It is especially important  for the newborn to breastfeed immediately after birth to ensure that he/she gets the colostrum. It is proven that babies who are breast fed are less often sick and have a lesser chance of developing things such as allergies, asthma, ear infections, stomach aches, etc. This is because breast milk provides antibodies against diseases. Breast fed babies are also less likely to become obese as adults. Breastfeeding also helps mother and baby bond and can help reduce the risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis for the mother. In my opinion, breast feeding has a positive influence on everyone in the family, including the father as well. It not only has short-term positive impacts but long term as well. Breast fed babies are more likely to attend college and less likely to become obese over age 12. They are also likely to develop less cavities and stronger jaws (Berger, 2012).

After researching I found that President Arroyo of the Philippines in 2009, focused on the importance of breastfeeding in the battle against hunger and malnutrition in kids. The goal was to promote breastfeeding through a campaign using role models who had been breast fed from birth. They were also planning to integrate optimal infant and young child feeding practices into the education system. They were also working together with teachers to provide instructional materials in order to support their advocacy of breastfeeding. In the Philippines, not breastfeeding was highly prevalent in the deaths among children under five years old. "Breastfeeding is the most far-reaching and cheapest poverty alleviation strategy" ("Philippines: President arroyo," 2009).

I think it is important to advocate breastfeeding to young mothers because of the positive influence it has short term and long term for mother and baby. Research proves that breast milk ensures healthy growth and development in all aspects and promotes life-long health. It will be my goal from now on to ensure that I advocate also for breastfeeding and the impacts it can have on babies and mothers.

References:

Berger, K. (2012). The developing person through childhood. (6th ed.,pp.127-159). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Philippines: President arroyo sets focus on importance of breastfeeding in battle against hunger, malnutrition among kids. (2009, Mar 13). Asia News Monitor. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1017948352?accountid=14872

Birthing Experience and Birthing Customs in Germany

I have not yet given birth to a child, as my husband and I are waiting to start a family after I complete my Master's; however I was able to watch my sister give birth to my niece. In my eyes, it was such a wonderful experience that my sister allowed me to have with her. I feel like I have a special connection with my sister and my niece because of this experience. My sister was in a lot of pain and had contractions the day before my niece was born. She actually went to the hospital once and they sent her back home with Ambien to help her sleep. It had the reverse effects and she was wide awake, crying from the pain. When she went to the hospital the next day, she gave birth to my niece after being there for only a few hours. I remember the nurse, who was actually my husband's cousin, checking on my sister, say, "we're having a baby!" and she called for the doctor. When the doctor came in, she said "wow, she is moving pretty quickly, let's take our time, no need to rush". My niece's head was starting to show and my sister had an epidural by this point. She pushed about 3 times, and Halle (pronounced like Halle Berry the actress) was here! She was beautiful, healthy, and ready for us to love her unconditionally! I feel extremely blessed to have been able to watch the birth of my niece, seeing her enter this world, so much love and happiness! I remember telling my sister she did a great job. The whole experience for my sister was good, positive, and definitely life changing, as it was for me as well. Everything went smoothly. I think this had a positive influence on my sister and niece from the start because everything went so well.

Halle as a new born. 

Me holding Halle at about 4 or 5 months old.

Halle and I on her 1st Birthday, May 15th 2013!

I chose to research birthing in Germany because my ancestors are originally from Germany, and my husband's as well. Interestingly enough, things are a little different when giving birth there. As in the United States, there is a midwife, however in Germany it is a must, where as here in the U.S. it is optional. Midwives in Germany are actually very well respected and by law must be present at a birth and doctor's are optional. A woman who has a C-Section in Germany is looked upon as a possible failure because they look at the actual event of the birth and not the outcome. One very positive piece of information, in my opinion, is the fact that in Germany, if you are pregnant, your employer cannot fire you. Women also have to stop working 6 weeks before their due date and can not work for 8 weeks after giving birth, all with full pay! Here in the United States, it all depends on your employer. For example, my employer, the board of education, does not  give full pay. We have to save our sick/personal days for maternity/paternity leave. We can apply to the sick bank for days, however it is primarily used for people who are battling cancer, surgeries, etc. Also, if a teacher decides to take a leave of absence for a year or so, and come back after, he/she is not guaranteed the position that they left. Ex: If I teach Kindergarten and leave for 1 year, I am not guaranteed that same position. If I leave for 2 or 3 years, I am not guaranteed to come back to a position at all. In Germany, mothers can take up to 3 years of unpaid leave and the third year can be taken at any time and by the mother or father. One custom in Germany that I feel I would not like is that the government provides a list of "acceptable names" that you can choose from to name your child. It is supposed to prevent parents from choosing names that are too unique and could cause the child to be made fun of and ridiculed. If you decide to choose a unique name you have to give a compelling reason as to why the exception should be made. In the United States, you can name your child whatever you would like. I can understand the German point of view, but I also love that you can choose any name for your child here in the United States. After all, we are all different and unique! I find the differences between Germany and the United States very interesting, but understandable because we are "the land of the free". We have many choices that we can make on our own, and although we have rules and laws to follow, we have a little more flexibility and a different kind of care than Germany when it comes to child birth. Although in the United States, some women may feel inadequate or feel like they have failed if they can not have a child naturally, it is not looked down upon by others in the way that it is in Germany.While there are such differences and some similarities, it is all a part of following customs and the way of life in that area of the world.

References:
http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?page=3