Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

Both of my parents grew up with large families and were poverty stricken.  My parents had to work at young ages, help support their families and do well in school.  My parents were able to be successful individuals when they grew up with the support of individuals (family, community, teachers) around them.


Impact of Poverty on Children’s
Development and Educational Outcomes
In all countries, poverty presents a chronic stress
for children and families that may interfere with successful adjustment to developmental tasks, including school achievement.

Children raised in low-income
families are at risk for academic and social problems as
well as poor health and well-being, which can in turn
undermine educational achievement.


In developing countries, children in
poverty are at much greater risk of never attending
school than wealthier children, and these differences
are wide (for example, in a sample of 80 countries,
12% of children in the top percentile of households never attended school, whereas 38% of children in
the poorest percentile never attended school).


The resilience whereby some children are spared from the
negative effects of poverty may reflect individual differences in how families cope with poverty or are able to buffer their children as well as individual differences in the children themselves.
http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu

Nutrition/Malnutrition

In Uganda 33% of children under the age of 5 are stunted.  Stunting occurs when a child is deprived of critical nutrition elements at any time during his or her mother's pregnancy up to their second birthday.

Unicef.org

I recently went to a training this Thursday on Child Health and Nutrition.  I work with a Head Start  Program and I have seen many aspects of Child Nutrition.  We work with children that are under and over weight.  It is our job to work with the families and assist them with finding resources that will assist and educate the family on what is best for them and their children.  The presenter was thanking us for the work we do with children.  She explained her two children were adopted at six months and one year old.  Her children were beaten and malnourished and continue to receive therapy at the age of seven.  We are blessed country to have some many organizations and resources to share with our families.

UNICEF continues to work nutrition programming and fulfilling every child's right to adequate nutrition.


United States Resource
http://www.nutrition.gov/

Childbirth in England

HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM JENNIFER BLOCK ON CHILDBIRTH IN ENGLAND.

"Thank God I'm not trying to do this in the States!" She's married to a Brit and they're expecting their first baby at any moment. I've crossed the pond for the event, and in the two weeks I've been on call, I've had a taste of the English way of birth.

Of course, the prenatal care, the birth care, and the postpartum care -- including daily home visits to help with breastfeeding if needed -- are all covered by the taxpayer-funded National Health Service. 

Comparison of the delivery of my son.  Uninsured at the time 18 years old.  My father paid the hefty prenatal care, hospital bill and postpartum care.  No midwife.  Breastfeeding was taught by the nurse right before being discharged to go home.  No Home Visits to help with breastfeeding trial and error and later conclusion to bottle feed because I needed heavy pain killers after the delivery.  Another stark difference: midwives run the prenatal clinics and labor wards . Most women never even see an obstetrician; if they do it's because there's a complication or health concern. Similarities people around to support the mother and child. Additional insights learned, natural birth at home is the norm in England rather than a radical idea.  I continue to believe Prenatal and Postpartum care are both important for the mother and child.

Childbirth In Your Life and Around the World

I remember the birth of my son thirteen years ago.  I was a young mom to be so everyone close to me was present being he would be the first the grandson.  My parents, sisters, godmother, best friend, and son's father were all ready to travel to the Hospital with me.  Everyone wanted to be present in the delivery room but I new from day one it would be me and my son's father to greet our son.  I chose to write about my son's birth because this is the only birth that I have experienced up close. I was blessed to have the support for the birth of my son Adrian as it has the affected the development of my son.  He was coming into a warm and welcoming family and continues to be nurtured by all.

COURSE RESOURCES

Web site links
Office of Head Start-Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc
National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching
Head Start Center for inclusion
http://depts.washington.edu/hscenter/
ADA Checklist
http://www.ada.gov/racheck.pdf

"Young children are inquisitive. They ask questions, wonder about things, and like to investigate interesting phenomena in their world."
SYLVIA CHARD

There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves. 
Lyndon B. Johnson