Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

From the list above, choose one stressor that you, or someone you know, experienced as a child. Share how you, or that person, coped with and/or compensated for that stressor (including any resources used or any support obtained).

As a child my husband experienced poverty growing up in New York.  Unfortunately his parents were both addicted to a variety of drugs so his aunt raised him and his three younger siblings.  She was able to provide them with a warm home, hot meal and clean clothes but it was very difficult to adequately provide for seven children; three were her own.  My husband was able to cope with this by using organized sports as an outlet; he excelled in basketball and football.  His aunt did not support his high school athletic career; however he had a teacher and his best friends’ parents that supported him in everything he did.  I am proud to say that my husband graduated from college and also has a masters degree, he is currently studing to take the LSAT to enter law school next year.  As for his sibilings, his brother is currently a college student at a four year university; his sister is a medic in the army; his baby sister graduates from high school in about two weeks and will be attending a local university as a freshman this fall.  This goes to show that you do not have to be a product of your environment, they all faced challenges as children but they channeled their energy towards positive factors.

Choose a region or country in the world that you would like to know more about and/or for which you have a special affinity. Find out, and describe, the kind of stressor(s) that impact the development of children in that region/country and what is being done to minimize the harm.

The country I chose was Japan because I do not know too much about the stressors they may face day-to-day.  This country are very driven by education, parents are obsessed with creating a child that is academically superior.  Adults have a very high expectation for their children to receive high grades, which causes children to be very competitive towards one another.  This competitiveness and conflicting expectations for modern children to be the best in school but also serve the traditional purposes of the group, confuses children and causes frustration.  This contributes to other social problems such as bullying and truancy (Crystal, 1994).  In the mid 1980’s a rash of suicides broke out amongst school-aged children due to bullying. 

Currently there is not anything being done to minimize this problem; however children fear that they will not meet their expected expectation so they give up on school and seclude themselves from family and maybe some friends.  Both bullying and truancy are currently serious problems in Japan.  

References:

Crystal, David S. 1994. "Concept of Deviance in Children and Adolescents: The Case of Japan." Deviant Behavior: An Interdisciplinary Journal 15:241-266.

Jiro, Saito. 1999. "Grownups Should Listen to the Kids." Japan Quarterly 46(April-June):83-88.

Shotaro, Takahashi. 1999. "Chaos in Elementary Classrooms." Japan Quarterly 46(April-June):78-82.

Child Development and Public Health

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is very meaningful to me for two main reasons, I have two young sons and I am going open a daycare this year.  When my first child was born I was very nervous about SIDS, I would find myself waking up in the middle of the night just to make sure he was still breathing.  I did the same with second son; such a nerve-racking first twelve months.  This syndrome places parents in an uneasy situation because there is not an definite cause for SIDS.   A lack of answers is part of what makes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) so frightening. SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants 1 month to 1 year old, and claims the lives of about 2,500 each year in the United States (Kids Health, 2011).

The perception of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Africa is very different from that of the United States.  This syndrome carries a myth that the death of these babies is as a result of some sort of curse on the mother or the babies themselves or that the babies decide to come repeatedly back to this world to torment their parents.

This information does in fact affect my future work, in that I will have to do my best to prevent any children in my care from succumbing to SIDS.  I will do this by laying all children under the age of 1 on their backs to sleep and tummy to play.

Reference:

Kids Health (2011).  Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  Retrieved May 14, 2011 from http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/sids.html.  

Childbirth––In Your Life and Around the World

Write about a personal birthing experience. It can be your own birth, your child’s birth, or one you took part in. What do you remember about the event? Why did you choose this example? What are your thoughts regarding birth and its impact on child development?

I have a 2 year old and a 14 month old, both birthing experiences were quite different.  With my oldest son my water broke at 38 weeks and I was in labor for 22 long hours.  When I reached 10cm I begin pushing about every 15-20 minutes for about 4 hours.  My son was sunny side up (face up, not down) so it was very hard for his head to navigate down my birthing canal.  I became so exhausted both mentally and physically so my doctor decided that it would be best if I delivered via c-section.  At nearly 40 weeks I went into labor with my second son, this labor experience was worse than it was with my oldest.  The pain was unbearable; however I still wanted to try for a natural birth.  My doctor did not think that it was in my best interest so after about 4 hours my son was delivered via c-section.  Both of my sons were delivered at the same hospital and we were reluctant enough to have wonderful doctors and nurses to assist us in our life changing experiences.  I chose these examples because they are memories that my husband and I cherish and will never forget what it took to bring our precious children into this world.  I really do not think that there is a connection between birth and child development.  The birthing process is just the necessary step that must happen to bring a child into this world, child development is the daily practices that goes on in the child’s life that has the capability of shaping their personality.

Choose a region of the world or a country, other than the U.S., and find out how births happen there. Write about what you learned, and the differences and similarities with your experience (in the personal example you provided). What additional insights, if any, about the impact of the birthing experience on development, did you gain from this comparison?

India has a high infant mortality rate; women are considered unclean during their menstrual cycles and during the act of giving birth.  They are kept away from religious rituals and social interactions because they are considered unclean, distasteful.  Midwives and dais assist women during child birth, however some refuse to cut the umbilical cord because this is considered as the utmost polluting act.  Their role in the birthing process is most like the nurses we have here in the US.  They provide emotional support, massages, apply oils and herbs, and help with labor positions.  Nearly 60% of births take place within the home, which may play a huge role in why their infant mortality rate is so high. There are so many differences from my birthing experience, such as I was in a hospital with doctors and nurses and given medication throughout the process.  In addition, these ladies do not have the option to have c-section when complications like mine arise.  This could pose serious problems for both mother and baby leading to possible birth defects.  However, we do have someone to assist us during our birthing experience to make us as comfortable as possible.  I gained insight on how other countries do not have similar resources and how their religious practice and beliefs greatly affect the decisions that are made while giving birth.

References:

Chawla, Janet, ed. Birth and Birthgivers: The power behind the shame. New Delhi, India: Shakti

Books, 2006. 11-312.

Hearing Dais' Voices: Learning About Traditional Birth Knowledge and Practice. Rep.No. MATRIKA. PLAN International.

Janani Suraksha Yojana: Features & Frequently Asked Questions and Answers. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Maternal Health Division, Government of India. New Delhi, 2006.

Janani Suraksha Yojana: Guidlines for Implementation. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.Government of India. 2004.

Stern, Robert W. Changing India. New York: Cambridge UP, 2003.