Stress and Child Development

 Stress is a factor the impacts the humans throughout the lifespan. Whether it occurs in utero or old age it's results are never positive on physical,cognitive or emotional health. This post in particular will focus on the stressors of chaos and disease.  My first year of teaching I had a student in my class who demonstrated challenging behavior from the first day of school. As the year marched on I hoped to make a connect with the student that would turn his behavior around. As the year progressed I began to learn more and more about his home life situation. It was chaotic due to many factors however two stood out more than the others. The first was that his parents were separated and so he and his 4 brothers split their time between two house holds. The second factor was that his father suffered from alcoholism which is considered a disease. The students in my class was the youngest of the four brothers with the oldest being 19 while he was 6. His mother was a nurse which meant that she was very busy and the hours she had available to her children was limited and fluctuated. The child in my class coped by seeking attention from the adults in the building through negative behaviors. It was clear when working with him in a one on one setting that he truly wanted to achieve and impress. He was happy to follow directions given. When he was in small or whole group situations he did everything he could to have everyone's attention focused on him weather it was positive or negative. I wish I could say that I was able to reach this student however unfortunately this behavior continued through the school year. A year latter I received the unfortunate news that his mother died suddenly of cancer, yet another disease that had a profound impact on this young child's life. Last I heard he and his brothers were staying with a family member and were well cared for.

The psychosocial impact on childhood comes not only from a child's present environment and the people within it but also the psychosocial experiences of the child's caregiver.  When I turn my lens to global issues of stress in young children I can't help but to think of children in African countries who have close family members or who are infected themselves with the HIV virus or full blown disease of AIDS. " Very young children who witness the trauma of their parents illness and death experience long periods of anxiety and stress will be affect psychosocial. They are likely to experience tremendous grief and depression when they see their parents suffering from illness and dying, an may feel guilty and helpless." (Dunn,2005) I can only imagine that this impact on children is not specific to diseases of HIV or AIDS nor to and African nation. The impacts may be enhanced by access to medical care, housing situations and the current pandemic of the virus on the continent. I think it is worth noting that this impact is magnified on a child. As adults we have the cognitive and emotional development to better cope with this kind of stress where a young child does not. Therefore a stress of any kind will have a greater and more lasting impact on a young child than an adolescent or adult.


                                                                                     Resources
Dunn, A., & Bernard Van Leer Foundation, (. (2005). HIV/AIDS: what about very young children? working papers in early childhood development. Young Children and HIV/AIDS Sub-Series, No. 35. Bernard Van Leer Foundation

Public Health and Childhood-Immunizations

Immunization is a hot button issue in early childhood. From the birth of their first child parents must make critical decisions and one of those includes whether or not to have their child immunized. The majority of American children are vaccinated as required by most public schools. As a member of a public school system all of the students I work with have received the following vaccines and vaccinations as required by my school division: 

• Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (Dtap, DPT, or Tdap)
• Tdap - mandated for 6th grade entry
• Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (Hib) Vaccine
• Hepatitis B
• Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) - mandated for 6th grade girls
• Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
• Polio (OPV or IPV)
• Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),"It's true, some diseases (like polio and diphtheria) are becoming very rare in the U.S. Of course, they are becoming rare largely because we have been vaccinating against them. But it is still reasonable to ask whether it's really worthwhile to keep vaccinating"(2012). As a result schools systems are very strict regarding their registration requirements. This is one of the ways that diseases are regulated and controlled in the U.S. While there are some who are against vaccinating for various reasons, the CDC reports on the tragic result in Japan when vaccinations were reduced due to similar concerns as those in the U.S. today.
  

   In 1974, Japan had a successful pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination program, with nearly 80% of Japanese children vaccinated. That year only 393 cases of pertussis were reported in the entire country,and there were no deaths from pertussis. But then rumors began to spread that pertussis     vaccination was no longer needed and that the vaccine was not safe, and by 1976 only 10% of infants were getting vaccinated. In 1979 Japan suffered a major pertussis epidemic, with more than 13,000 cases of whooping cough and 41 deaths. In 1981 the government began vaccinating with acellular pertussis vaccine, and the number of pertussis
                                                                      cases dropped again. (CDC,2012)

This knowledge impacts my work because I am better able to help parents understand the importance of vaccination for their child as an individual as well as for the health and well being of their community. It is important to remember the choice to have a child vaccinated is a delicate on and the decision rests with the parents. This is a medical matter so it is best discussed with a medical professional.
                             
       
                                                                                   References
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Vaccines and immunizations. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/why.htm

A Personal and Global Birthing Experience

As part of a course assignment I've been asked to share a personal birthing experience. I don't have children of my own and no one I know well enough to be a part of their birthing experience has had a child. So I have chosen to share my own birth through the eyes of my mother. Which is very fitting considering it is mother's day weekend!

Here is the paraphrased retelling by my mom.

Your birth was much like my pregnancy with you! You were feisty. During my pregnancy with you I craved spicy foods, the hotter the better. Your movements were very jolting and demanding. Your birth was similar. I went into labor at 6am, my water broke at 7am, we arrived at the hospital at 8am, shortly after arriving you began crowning and you were born at 10am. The contractions were violent and intense. They came fast which left no time for medication for the pain. You were not going to wait for anyone you knew it was your time to enter this world.

When you were born all the comments around the room focused on how awake and alert you were. You were looking around at everyone. When we went in for your 3 week appointment the doctor jokingly said "girl put your head back down you're not supposed to be doing that yet!" You were lifting your head and supporting it's weight on your own and looking around. Your personality started in utero and continued.

The birth was a postivie and emotional experience. This was our second time around so we were more relaxed. Your father and I had been together and for a while and had adjusted to becoming parents. When you were born there was an immediate and extremely intense love that I feared that I didn't have room in my heart to share with anyone else- but that was the medication talking because I soon realized there was plenty of room.

I was born into a positive and loving environment. My mother recognized who I was at birth and never tried to change me throughout my childhood however instead molded me  into the woman I am today. The birth experience can have an immense influence on child development. There are numerous challenges a child can be born into which include but are not limited to ;medical concerns for the mother and or child, financial turmoil,emotional and psychological stress. How the people around the child respond to the stressors have the strongest influence on the child. On the other hand a child may be born into a very positive and comfortable situation one free of stressors such as money, and health.

In looking to other countries and cultures to learn more about child birthing experiences outside of the United States I chose to learn more about the Tibetan child birth experience. In Tibet it is believed that life is a cycle and that reincarnation after death into a new life completes that cycle (Wilson,2012). In modern day Tibet most births like my own take place in a medical setting rather than a home based environment when possible. The delivery process is overseen by a midwife. Women often shy away from male doctors during this time. I can only imagine that this is a common concern for women all over the world considering the pysical vulnerability of the woman during this time. While my mom unfortunately had to suffer through unregulated pain during my birth that Tibetans have practices to ease the pain as my mother would have however there are very significant differences. The mother swallows a pallet of butter that has been carved int a the shape of a fish and prayed over by a moral family member two thousand times. I think it is worth mentioning that the medical practices of Tibet including labor and delivery have a holistic approach however has and continues to adapt to some western medicine practices. For example the infant child used to be feed only butter until the 3rd month of life when it would begin drinking milk from the mother, upon learning the importance of colostrum this practice has changed (Wilson,2012). I would like to see western medicine diversify itself to include more holistic approaches as options rather than referring mothers and families to holistic specific doctors and practices. I think that is much to be gained from the exchanging of ideas and practices.


                                                                                References
Wilson, Debra Rose, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC,A.H.N.-B.C., C. (2012, 01). Birthing traditions in tibetan culture. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 27, 33-38. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/920597298?accountid=14872