This week, we have been asked to identify and reflect on different stressors in the lives of young children. In this day and age, there are so many worldwide, from natural disaster to war and poverty. The idea that children are resilient is common, but we are left to wonder about the long-term effects of stress on the developing child.
In my own childhood, I can recall very little stress. My family was stable, always employed, and we were happy. We didn't have everything we wanted, but we had everything we needed. Living in the Midwest, there was little threat of natural disaster or war, however, I do recall being fearful of war. When the US invaded Grenada in 1983, I remember watching the coverage with my dad and asking if we were going to war. I was too young to fully understand the situation and how minor the incident was. All I knew was that people died in war and I was afraid of a similar invasion of Minnesota. This is a great illustration of the impact media has on young children. I was lucky to have parents that responded to my questions and reassured me that there would be no invasion of Minnesota, but I internalized what I saw on TV in those days and remember feeling anxious whenever people would talk about it.
For children directly affected by war and violence, the impact can be long-lasting and early intervention is crucial. In a study of refugee families in Australia that had experienced war-related violence and stress, the use of supportive play groups provided them with an outlet to process what they had experienced and gain a sense of stability (Jackson, 2006). The study was an intervention that provided families with programming for the children and families. It was intended to allow for the exploration of the events that had occurred in a safe and nurturing environment. The children were enrolled in a supportive playgroup for five or more hours in the day and the families were given opportunities to participate as well. The findings indicated that the structure and content of the playgroup, the relationships between the child and parent, and the sensitivity to separation anxiety in this population were some of the most critical factors in ensuring the success and protective nature of the project (Jackson, 2006).
It is important for us to remember that children are resilient, but for those that have seen tragedy, they need support and an environment in which to recover and feel protected. War-related trauma is not a common issue in the lives of children in the U.S., but with their access to media and all that is happening worldwide, we need to be vigilant and sensitive to their questions about what they are seeing and hearing.
Reference:
Jackson, D. (2006). Playgroups as Protective Environments for Refugee Children at Risk of Trauma. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 31(2), 1-5. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Whole Child
This week, we have been asked to look closely at one topic in the public health arena related to young children. I chose to focus on mental health in mothers and fathers and the effect it has on the development and functioning of children and families. As an educator and administrator, it is important for me to understand where families are coming from, what stressors they are experiencing in their daily lives, and how it affects the overall performance as parents and the support network for the child. It reminds me that the child does not exist as an isolated being...that there are many factors that affect their development and success.
In Taiwan, there was a study that shows the state of mental health of the mother and father have an affect at different ages and stages of development, and that it is important to note the age and education level of the parents as well. It examined the impact of the growing trend of mothers returning to the workforce and the need for fathers to play a larger role in child rearing. If a father is experiencing any sort of depression, it tends to increase the presence of behavior problems, especially in sons. However, the presence of the fathers also offsets stress and depression in mothers, creating a positive impact on the family.
The role of age and education at childbirth should also be examined. For instance, children of older mothers have better social development at 6 months of age, but children of older fathers have worse overall development at 6 months of age and improved social development at 18 months of age. This highlights the importance of preparing parents of any age for the role they are to play.
In Australia, a different study showed the impact of the behaviors and emotional development of children diagnosed with autism on parents. It found that there is more stress felt by mothers, but that fathers experience more stress that those of children without a diagnosis. This study highlights the importance of both early intervention for the child and adequate and abundant support for the families. We often forget that families take on the stress that a child with special needs presents and it is part of our job to support them in their journey to find resources, services, and support groups.
Currently, I see a need for increased support for families. We may have become "experts" in teaching their children, but we need to remember that our commitment is to the success of the child and the child does not come to us as an individual. There are parents, extended family members, and friends that are part of the child's life that have an effect on that success. In the future, I would like to be able to provide more extensive support to families in simple ways such as support or networking groups, newsletters, trainings, and connections with community resources for them.
References:
In Taiwan, there was a study that shows the state of mental health of the mother and father have an affect at different ages and stages of development, and that it is important to note the age and education level of the parents as well. It examined the impact of the growing trend of mothers returning to the workforce and the need for fathers to play a larger role in child rearing. If a father is experiencing any sort of depression, it tends to increase the presence of behavior problems, especially in sons. However, the presence of the fathers also offsets stress and depression in mothers, creating a positive impact on the family.
The role of age and education at childbirth should also be examined. For instance, children of older mothers have better social development at 6 months of age, but children of older fathers have worse overall development at 6 months of age and improved social development at 18 months of age. This highlights the importance of preparing parents of any age for the role they are to play.
In Australia, a different study showed the impact of the behaviors and emotional development of children diagnosed with autism on parents. It found that there is more stress felt by mothers, but that fathers experience more stress that those of children without a diagnosis. This study highlights the importance of both early intervention for the child and adequate and abundant support for the families. We often forget that families take on the stress that a child with special needs presents and it is part of our job to support them in their journey to find resources, services, and support groups.
Currently, I see a need for increased support for families. We may have become "experts" in teaching their children, but we need to remember that our commitment is to the success of the child and the child does not come to us as an individual. There are parents, extended family members, and friends that are part of the child's life that have an effect on that success. In the future, I would like to be able to provide more extensive support to families in simple ways such as support or networking groups, newsletters, trainings, and connections with community resources for them.
References:
Lung, F., Shu, B., Chiang, T., & Lin, S. (2009). Parental mental health, education, age at childbirth and child development from six to 18 months. Acta Paediatrica, 98(5), 834-841. doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.01166.x
Herring, S. S., Gray, K. K., Taffe, J. J., Tonge, B. B., Sweeney, D. D., & Einfeld, S. S. (2006). Behaviour and emotional problems in toddlers with pervasive developmental disorders and developmental delay: Associations with parental mental health and family functioning. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 50(12), 874-882. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2006.00904.x
Saturday, March 5, 2011
New Life
I have had the opportunity to be part of two births, other than my own. The first was a child that could not wait to travel to the hospital so he was born at home while I took care of his older sibling and dad and the paramedics assisted mom. The other occurred in a hospital, though without the use of drugs. When I think about each of them, I remember the various emotions I felt, from fear to joy and everything in between!
As I took care of the sibling in the first experience, I had to remain calm for him, yet support dad until the paramedics arrived. I remember him asking me to go get a shoelace and thinking "What for????". I learned later that it would have been used to tie off the umbilical cord. As a 23 year old, I was learning more than I really wanted to about the miracle of life.
In the hospital with my close friends that had invited me to be part of the birth of their second child, I was again reminded of all the emotions that go along with such an event. I met them at the hospital at 11:30 in the morning and Lucas was born at about 3:00. It was a long 3 hours for me, but even longer for her as she progressed so quickly, regretted not getting the drugs, and managed to have this beautiful baby boy regardless. At one point, I was encouraging her through a contraction and the phrase I had used again and again was "You've got this." She turned to me and said "I DO NOT HAVE THIS!" It was time for me to either find a new phrase or just be quiet and hold her hand. We joke about it to this day.
Compared with a "home birth" in Ghana as described our text from this week, it seems that, because the process is more widely practiced, it is a calm and quiet time for both mother and newborn child. "The baby did not cry, not because there was any problem, but because it was a gentle birth" (Berger, 2009). In my experience, the mom I observed was a calm as she could be, but because it was progressing unexpectedly fast, there was panic and tension. Notably, the child has developed typically and has no lasting effects of the birth, except an incredible story to tell.
As I took care of the sibling in the first experience, I had to remain calm for him, yet support dad until the paramedics arrived. I remember him asking me to go get a shoelace and thinking "What for????". I learned later that it would have been used to tie off the umbilical cord. As a 23 year old, I was learning more than I really wanted to about the miracle of life.
In the hospital with my close friends that had invited me to be part of the birth of their second child, I was again reminded of all the emotions that go along with such an event. I met them at the hospital at 11:30 in the morning and Lucas was born at about 3:00. It was a long 3 hours for me, but even longer for her as she progressed so quickly, regretted not getting the drugs, and managed to have this beautiful baby boy regardless. At one point, I was encouraging her through a contraction and the phrase I had used again and again was "You've got this." She turned to me and said "I DO NOT HAVE THIS!" It was time for me to either find a new phrase or just be quiet and hold her hand. We joke about it to this day.
Compared with a "home birth" in Ghana as described our text from this week, it seems that, because the process is more widely practiced, it is a calm and quiet time for both mother and newborn child. "The baby did not cry, not because there was any problem, but because it was a gentle birth" (Berger, 2009). In my experience, the mom I observed was a calm as she could be, but because it was progressing unexpectedly fast, there was panic and tension. Notably, the child has developed typically and has no lasting effects of the birth, except an incredible story to tell.
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