Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

Every day throughout the world children are affected by the conflicts taking place in their communities due to thousands of civilians being killed or wounded. More than half of these civilians are children. For instance, in our recent history we as Americans have been at war with Iraq on their soil.  As a result children in Iraq have been exposed to armed conflict.  "According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 2 million children have been killed by conflict over the last decade; 6 million children have been made homeless; 12 million have been injured or disabled; and there are at least 300,000 child soldiers operating in 30 different conflicts across the globe" (Danziger, 2003).  The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement work towards limiting the effects children experience as a result of witnessing or experiencing conflict in their childhood. For example, in Iraq children are being exposed to explosive remnants of war like artillery shells, grenades, mortar and cluster bombs to rockets and missiles. Red Crescent support various social groups in Iraq by examining and informing local communities about the dangers of explosive remnants of war.
In my early childhood years, I remember being in my aunts house during one of California's largest earthquakes in late 1980s. I remember being extremely scared and had no clue what to do while everything around me was falling out of their orginal places. I remember hearing my aunt telling me to stand under a doorway for safety, but I didn't know what she meant or why she wanted me to do such a thing. After hearing her voice, all I remember is a bookcase beginning to fall towards me and my dad picking me up and running to stand under doorway until the earthquake was over.  After all everything settle down, my aunt and dad sat me down to talk to me about what to do during an earthquake. In addition, during school I remember having to participate in frequent earthquake drills.
In conclusion, I believe it is crucial to inform children and local communities about various natural disasters that may occur in their area because it is the only way to increase children's chances of feeling safe.  Children who feel safe tend to explore their learning environments freely which contributes to them becoming life-long learners.  As a Californian mother, I make sure to prepare my daughter on what to do during an earthquake or fire. I also think it is awesome that the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement contribute to spreading awareness to children an families in Iraq about the dangers of explosive remnants of war.

Reference
Danziger, N. (2003). Children and war. The Magazine of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement,Retrieved from http://www.redcross.int/en/mag/magazine2003_3/4-9.html

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is meaningful to me because as a mother and an early childhood professional I see the benefits in my child, myself, and children I work with and have worked with in the past.  Breastfeeding helps infants fight disease and is easier to digest for them in comparison to formal.  Breastfeeding is also beneficial to mothers because it gives them the opportunity to bond and attach with their infant during feedings.  In addition, breastfeeding is more cost effective than formula and mothers who breast feed tend to miss less work in comparison to mothers who use formal due to children’s immunity being able to fight other diseases or illness. ‘’ The nation benefits overall when mothers breastfeed. Recent research shows that if 90 percent of families breastfed exclusively for 6 months, nearly 1,000 deaths among infants could be prevented. The United States would also save $13 billion per year — medical care costs are lower for fully breastfed infants than never-breastfed infants. Breastfed infants typically need fewer sick care visits, prescriptions, and hospitalizations’’ (‘’Breastfeeding’’, 2011).

‘’In Africa, more than 95% of infants are currently breastfed, but feeding practices are often inadequate: feeding water, and other liquids, to breastfed infants is a widespread practice’’ (Sante, 2002). In addition, prolonged breastfeeding is common.  For instance, the average length of time for breastfeeding ranges between 16 and 28 months. The importance of breastfeeding as a food resource of African countries is generally not recognized due to the AIDS epidemic that could threaten breastfeeding because the virus can be transmitted during breastfeeding. ‘’A study suggests that feeding breastmilk and other liquids to infants could be the feeding mode associated with the highest rate of transmission. To prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, WHO recommends replacement feeding if it is feasible and safe. Otherwise, mothers are encouraged to practice exclusive breastfeeding for the first months of life followed by early and rapid weaning’’ (Sante, 2002).  However, there are concerns about rapid weaning between 4 and 6 months due to concerns about the negative impact it may have on infants.   

This information I have obtained about breastfeeding will be beneficial to my career working with children and families because I can share the information with other mothers who may not be aware of the benefits to breastfeeding.  In addition, I can share this information with other colleagues who will then share information with children and families they work with. 

Reference

Breastfeeding. ( 2011, August 14). Retrieved from http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/why-breastfeeding-is-important/

Sante. (2002). Breastfeeding in africa: will positive trends be challenged by the aids epidemic. National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11943640

Childbirth––In Your Life and Around the World

My mother reminds me of her birthing experience of bringing me into this world. But before telling me..of course she had to me tell me, ‘’I brought you into this world…so I can take you out!’’. LOL. My mother was in labor for 23 hours before the doctor notified her that she was going to have an emergency C-section because I was in distress because my umbilical was wrapped around my neck.  After the doctors pulled me out of my mother she said I was blue until the doctor unwrapped the umbilical and began crying. My mother said it was the best sound of her life, but if she knew I had the mouth that I do, she would have cried! LOL.

I choose this example because it was the being of my journey in life. 

Birth in the United States has come so far and is forever improving with new technical advances due to research.  We have licensed doctors that are required to continue their education to keep current on changes as well as have laws that hold them accountable. Child development research helps us as early childhood professionals accommodate the needs of children. 

The childbirth rituals in Ethiopia are different than the birthing experiencing my mother had when having me. If the women are passed their due date more than one day, a shot is fired in the air as attempt to induce her labor. ‘’After the cutting of the umbilical cord, the cord from the mother is tied to her leg to prevent the cord and placenta from slipping back into the uterus. The midwife massages the woman's abdomen with butter to accelerate delivery of the placenta; if it does not have a smooth surface, it is considered incomplete and the midwife presses a water jar down on the abdomen until all the remains are discharged. The baby is expected to sneeze as soon as it is born; if it does not, a thread is used to tickle the nostrils.’’This ritual is different in comparison to my mother’s experience having me because my mother did not have me vaginally.  However, if she did have a vaginal birth she would birth her placenta without needing to tie it around her leg.  Shots are fired to induce labor in Ethiopia, but my mother went into labor on my grandmother couch. I look forward to learning more about other cultures’ birth rituals.

Reference

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12157987