Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

Muscular dystrophy is a disorder that weakens muscles and creates the loss of muscle, as the person gets old the condition worsens.

When I was four years old my family found out that my cousin who was just one year older than me had this disease. No one in my family really knew what it was or what caused it. Well over the next two years I saw my cousin be put into a wheelchair and lose his ability to use his arms and legs. At the same time my cousins condition was worsening my aunt and uncle found out they were pregnant with another child. When my new cousin was born he was also born with muscular dystrophy. His condition was worse than my other cousins from the start because he was born with it. It took awhile for my family to get used to the new routine, having two family members in wheelchairs and all the extra help that they would need but both of my cousins have incredible personalities and outlooks on life. My family quickly turned to MDA, Muscular Dystrophy Association for information and support. I know my cousins and their parents attended summer camps to help them cope with the disease.

MD in Japan:

Japan, has an organization similar to MDA, the Japan Muscular Dystrophy Association Corporation.  JMDA’s goals are to “Accumulates information on muscular dystrophies available to educate and enlight the disease to patients, their families and public.” They also want to , “Helps patients to adapt to their daily life and to improve their quality of life.” Lastly they try and “Promotes research into muscular dystrophy.”

Japan Muscular Dystrophy Association. Retrieved from http://www.jmda.or.jp

Child Development and Public Health

I remember when I was young, probably around 10 years old, I found out that my mom’s friends baby died. I remember her telling me the baby died of SIDS. At the time I did not understand but as I have grown up I have become a lot more interested in SIDS and feel as though I should educate myself on the topic because I do work in a Child Development center with infants.

When looking at how SIDS affects people from all around the world I found some interesting information from New Zealand. New Zealand used to have the highest crib rate death in the world, but new information has come out to change that. In 1994 a new campaign for wrapping infants’ mattresses came out. Researchers said the fire-retardant mattresses had harmful chemicals for infants in them, so they started wrapping them. Since these findings came out the number of deaths has significantly went down. They have also changed to having babies sleep on their backs as well, along with other forms of prevention.

The information and my findings on SIDS I have learned this week have helped me grow as an educator. This is syndrome that affects children in one of the age groups I want to directly work with. In order for me to be a successful care provider I believe that knowledge on medical issues, like SIDS, are vital to my job.

Websites referenced: www.preventsids.org and www.healthychild.com

In Your Life and Around the World

I have not yet had the opportunity to experience a birth, other than my own. I had the chance to talk with a couple friends about their experiences and talked to my mom about when I was born. Everyone I talked to, including my mother stressed the importance of the epidural! They all said they had great experiences. Both my mother and my close friend Tracy told me by month 7 they were ready for the baby to be out but once the time came, they both felt unprepared. My friend Tracy told me about her experience of having the placenta removed and how it was the worst part. To be honest I did not know before that conversation that the placenta even came out but it does not sound like a pleasant experience.  This is a very new subject for me and I do not have any experience with it but I do believe that right after the birth is the best time for the mother to start bonding with her child. I have heard that epidurals can have negative side effects to the baby, latching on during breastfeeding might be difficult, this could play a role on the child’s development.  Overall the birth is the parents beginning to raising their child and the choices they make will have an effect on the child’s development.

I chose to look at the Philippines and their birthing experience. I work with a couple of Pilipino women who shared their stories with me. After doing research and talking with some ladies from work the birthing experience in the Philippines is very similar to what women experience in the United Stated. They both go to regular doctor’s appointments during their pregnancies and have the same options when giving birth at hospitals. However, in some rural parts of the country and for some citizen who do not have enough money, they choose to have a midwife come to their houses, but this is only done if it is a normal pregnancy without any complications.  I was told that a pregnancy in the Philippines is not just an experience for the couple but that the whole family is involved. Having the whole family involved with the child will provide them with great support during their development.