Reflecting on Building Relationships

As we explored the areas of growth from prenatal to middle childhood, there are many factors influence a child's biophysical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. Empathy, Attachment, Resilience, Trauma, and Global Child Development all tie in to the profound words of this poem, and the common denominator are the parents/caregivers.  It is our duty to provide a nourishing physical, emotional and social environment for our children to help them reach their fullest potential because anything less is a Travesty. 

If You live with Serenity, your Child will Live with Peace of Mind.

What is Your Child Living? 

References:

https://www.google.com/search?q=dorothy+law+nolte&newwindow=1&biw=1440&bih=785&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xOjtVJX9GMKnNunggrgE&ved=0CEMQ7Ak#imgdii=_&imgrc=UvLf9TF55glbdM%253A%3ByY_GnQIUG84XyM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.newagepregnancy.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2014%252F12%252Fchildren-learn.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.newagepregnancy.com%252Fchildren-learn-what-they-live%252F%3B1146%3B720

Testing for Intelligence

Early experiences are built into our bodies for better or worse. Chronic stressors or "toxic" stressors where children are consistently exposed to harmful environments such as abuse, violence, malnutrition, and neglect have a negative impact on the body and brain. It can lead to health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiac issues. Unfortunately, these stressors can also contribute to learning disabilities as well. Therefore, it is imperative for parents and caregivers to provide children with an environment free from toxic stressors so they can grow and develop the way their brains and bodies were meant to.

With regards to assessments, I believe, just as children learn differently, they test differently as well. It is important as educators to look at the "whole" child including their culture, family and social lives. Assessments should be diverse and vary in content as well as structure. Not all children test well in standardized pencil and paper tests. Does that mean that they are not intelligent and don't know the information or should be ranked lower than their peers? Educators should strive to integrate tests that give a true picture of the child's knowledge. This can be, for example, in the form of an oral test, because isn't what they know and comprehend what's important? Also, I believe assessments should be worded in ways that children from various cultures are able to understand. For example, if a child who lives in the inner city were asked to name another term for "street," they have probably never heard the word "route" before but a child who lives in Kansas may. For this reason I feel the current assessments used to measure intelligence, promote and graduate students from one grade to the next are unfair. Our society has become so diverse and is acclimating to the many different cultures yet we are still using the same testing techniques that, in my opinion, weren't fair to begin with.

Australia has many of the same assessment criteria as the US but in their curriculum, they include "capabilities" that students need to master as well. An example is cultural where student are taught and encouraged to explore and learn about other cultures in order to gain insight and tolerance for those who are different from them.

When it comes to assessing our children, I feel that multiple assessments are necessary in order to obtain a true picture of what a child truly knows and those assessments should be administered in a variety of settings that are advantageous to the child. This idea holds true when also assessing a child for special needs services. One assessment can't possible give a therapist a true picture of that child's needs. For example, if a child had a bad night and came in for an assessment and was frustrated, angry, and uncooperative, the therapist may not only diagnose that child with lower academic and ability scores but may also diagnose them with behavior problems even though that is not the case. They then waste valuable time placing a child in services that is not addressing their true needs. How are we to help them reach their fullest potential if we don't have a clear picture of what their needs truly are? This leads to many misplacements and misdiagnosis which does not benefit our children and results in larger numbers of students being retained, don’t graduate high school and become less productive adults.

References:

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/personal-and-social-capability/introduction/introduction

Center on the Developing Child–Harvard University. (n.d.). InBrief: The science of neglect. [Video file].    http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/multimedia/videos/inbrief_series/inbrief_neglect/

Domestic Violence 
My husband’s daughter experienced a violent environment during her young years while living with her biological mother and then emotional stress in her later years.  Her mother has children from different fathers and unfortunately fell into the ugly trap many women do when the relationship does not work out and begins to use the child against the father.  For years, my husband battled for visitation and fought a judicial system that was partial to the mother, no matter the circumstances.  His daughter and siblings were subjected to domestic violence in the home luckily against the mother and not them at the time.  My husband decided to sue for custody and won when she was 7 years old.  When she came to live with us, her mother, maternal grandmother, aunts and friends ridiculed her for the new life she had with us as her language changed and she began to speak correctly.  They constantly reminded her that I was not her mother and she was not to call me mom even though she wanted to. Then after about 2 months, her mother disappeared for almost a year with no communication whatsoever.  The positive that resulted was that my husband’s daughter and I were able to bond and from that built a wonderful relationship over the years.  Unfortunately, one of her siblings got involved in gangs and drugs and was killed several years ago at the age of 21. We believe that had she stayed, she would not be the same beautiful young lady she is today.  We also believe had her sibling’s father been able to get custody of him, he might be alive today.  When my daughter first arrived, we placed her in counseling, made sure she felt a part of our family as we had other children together by this time. She is 19 now and still does not have a good relationship with her maternal side of the family, but it is not because she has not tried or anything we have prevented.  I think she has come a long way and has dealt with rejection well because I have always been here to help fill the void she experienced over the years.

I have always wondered about the widespread abuse in Africa and have learned that it is prevalent in the sub-Saharan region.  More than 40% of the women report regular physical abuse; many are married and suffer verbally and physically from their husbands and in front of their children.  This is a sad situation because what the boys are learning is that it’s ok for the husband to abuse his wife and it’s teaching the girls that this is what you should expect from your husband.  As parent, we need to be cognizant of the impact our actions have on the course of our children’s lives. 

References:

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/publications-a-z/457-sexual-abuse-and-violence-in-sub-saharan-africa

Immunization and Public Health Measures

Immunization is said to have had the greatest impact on human mortality reduction and population growth than any other public health intervention aside from clean water.  Immunization protects children from not only temporary sickness but also from complications that arise from disease such as deafness, blindness, sterility or meningitis. Each vaccinated child creates what is called herd immunity because they stop the spread of disease thus protecting others (Berger, 2012)

We must be aware that as our world becomes more connected, diseases know no boundaries and we are putting ourselves and generations to come at risk for widespread disease.

Unfortunately, immunizations cannot yet protect us from AIDS, cholera, malaria, typhoid or shingles and the growing number of missed vaccines because of anxieties can result in reoccurrence of diseases once thought to be under control.  One study also showed that the mortality rate is higher among babies who received 6-8 vaccines in a single doctor visit as opposed to spreading them out. Needless to say, this has had an impact not only on the US but other countries as well. In the mid 1970s, Japan stopped administering the Pertussis (or whooping cough) vaccination because of public concerns over adverse neurological effects. At that point, Japan had brought the disease under control after introducing it in 1947. Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease and one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide, causing 300 000 deaths a year, predominantly among unvaccinated or partially vaccinated infants, who go on to suffer vomiting, dehydration and malnutrition. Also, France still has low rates of hepatitis B vaccinations compared with other countries in Europe because it has been rumored that it has been associated with autism, multiple sclerosis and leukemia.

 

This issue is especially meaningful to me because I collaborate with mostly special needs children and families and many of them do not vaccinate their children because they are convinced the vaccinations caused the disability to their child.  I, personally am torn because I have heard the detailed events that occurred to each of these children and I cannot concur with nor negate any possibilities one way or another.  I can only advise my parents of the risks they expose their child to in a public setting when an outbreak occurs that they are not vaccinated for and pray the child does not get sick.  There is so much corruption and secrecy within our country that it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that once again, they are using us as guinea pigs unknowingly.  That’s the conspiracy theorist in me!! Bottom line is that vaccine anxieties impede highly effective public health measures.

References

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

http://www2.aap.org/international/immunization/importance.html

http://thinktwice.com/goldman-miller-study.html

http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/86/6/08-030608/en/

I have seen a lot of babies born to friends and family. I have also watched shows in regards to complicated pregnancies and deliveries. The birthing experience I would like to reflect on is my sister. She called me to tell me it was time for my niece to be born, so I coated up and headed out. When I arrived I was surprised and in awe at the calmness of the room. It was only she and her husband when I came in, no TV on, no nurses.. the room was silent except for the sound of the babies heart beat. My sister was so calm and was dozing in and out of sleep. Suddenly the doctor came and said "let's have this baby." My sister said, "huh, already, Ok?" Fifteen minutes later, or pops my niece! Typically, the child births I have witnessed were noisy, busy with nurses coming and going along with a miserable mom. I was pleasantly surprised to find the opposite this time.
I decided to research someplace uncommon so I chose the Eskimos. There are several interesting findings, including cultural practices and myths including the belief that squatting and kneeling were the preferred delivery positions. Also, they were not allowed to make noise or have pain meds during the birthing process. Now it is acceptable. 

Here are some interesting myths that are still practiced:

• Many Native Alaskan women believe that certain foods such as moose, seal and caribou are beneficial during pregnancy.
• A common belief is that women should not wear necklaces, rings or braids in their hair throughout their pregnancy as this may cause the neonate to be born with the umbilical cord wrapped around their neck.
• A pregnant woman will often interpret her dreams as having significance. For example, she may receive a message indicating what the sex of her child will be.
• Many Native Alaskan women claim to know they are pregnant before a medical test confirms it. They are often told by their family members or they have a feeling inside that tells them they are pregnant.
• A common belief is that if a woman walks through a door backwards while pregnant, she will have a breech delivery.
• Another belief is that if a pregnant woman sleeps at irregular times throughout the day, she will give birth to a lazy baby.
• Women are discouraged from blowing bubbles with chewing gum or blowing up balloons for fear that their membranes will not rupture.
• Pregnant women should not leave projects unfinished as this may prolong labor.

Reference

http://www.hawaii.hawaii.edu/nursing/RNAlaskan10.html

Early Childhood-Code of Ethics for NAEYC and DEC

Ideals

•  We shall work to ensure that appropriate assessment systems which include multiple sources of information are used for purposes that benefit children. 

•   We shall advocate for equal access to high quality services and supports for all children and families to enhance the quality of their lives. 

•             We shall collaborate with families and colleagues in setting meaningful and relevant goals and priorities throughout the intervention process including full disclosure of the nature, risk and potential outcomes of any interventions. 
•            We shall empower families with information and resources so that they are informed consumers of the services for their children. 

I feel all of the code of ethics are appropriate and can be very effective if they are followed by all who have committed to the field of early childhood. I chose the ideals above because they are ones, in my personal experience, that have not been followed with regards to special education. Many children are not given the appropriate assessments, accommodations or services that are included in their IEP. For example, my son is supposed to have a proctor/teacher read certain portions of his assessment to him and repeat and/or explain directions. That is not done on a consistent basis which is a segue to my next point. Many parents do not know their rights under IDEA and don't have access to information and resources that can help educate them concerning the needs of or services available for their child.

My company will focus on many of these very important ideals that I feel are critical for helping or children reach their full potential.

References

NAEYC. (2005). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment.                    Retrieved: http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

The Division of Early Childhood. (2000). Code of Ethics. Retrieved     http://www.dec-sped.org