Child Development and Public Health

Malnutrition and Nutrition 

Public Health Topic

This topic  is meaningful to me because of the things I have been learning about it lately. A few months ago I started changing the way I eat. I studied about what foods I should be eating and which foods have the most health benefits for your body and which ones should be avoided. Throughout my work with young children, I have also learned about what a problem malnutrition has become in The United States and around the world. I worked in a Head Start preschool during my time student teaching to earn my Associate's Degree. I learned a lot of things during my time there. One thing that became pretty clear to me is that poor nutrition is so bad for a child's development and growth. I began learning more about things about WIC and welfare and what they are doing to help fight the malnutrition problem in the United States.

 Michelle Obama also has started an initiative to help promote health and nutrition in The United States. All of these things as created an interested in me to change my own ways of eating. I believe one positive way to promote and encourage healthy eating in young children is for adults to model it in their own lives and be an example for the children.

 Malnutrition in Africa

6 Facts of Malnutrition in Africa:

• 1 in 10 Infants die within the first 12 months of life
• 1 in 5 children suffer from chronic malnutrition
• 1 in 10 children suffers from severe malnutrition
• 50% of children have a calcium, iron and zinc deficiency
• 75% of South Africans, have inadequate access to food
• More than 1 in 5 children are physically stunted due to malnutrition.
  

 The causes of food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa are diverse, multi-factorial and interlinked. Poverty and food shortage are the main catalysts of food insecurity in the world; unfortunately, they occur in a vicious cycle. In 2004, 121 million sub-Saharan Africans lived on less than a meagre US$ 0.50 a day. People living on less than US$ 1.00 per day are unable to pay the prices they would need to buy all of the staple food they require and meat and fish consumption for the many poor Africans is a luxury. Although the share of the population living in extreme poverty in SSA declined by more than 10% to 48% between 1999 and 2008, SSA still has the highest concentration of the ultra poor in the world. Despite the rapid economic growth rate in SSA over the past decade, there is historical evidence that this has not been converted into poverty reduction as effectively as in other developing regions, like East Asia and the Pacific.

How this will effect my work in the future 

I think this will effect my work with children in the future because it has re-ignited my interest in teaching young children about nutrition. I have been trying to figure out what kind of advocacy I would like to participate in to help advocate for young children. Advocacy is a piece that has been lacking in my work with young children. Learning more about WIC and the Let's Move campaign have given me a good start for resources and information about what I can be doing for young children. It has come to my attention recently how important it is to help children learn about nutrition and to provide them with both the education and the resources when it comes to nutiriton and malnutrition in young children. I am looking forward to continuing to find resources and to opportunities to support healthy nutrition for young children. UNICEF is an organization that has caught my interest lately. They work nationally and internationally to help fight malnutrition in children. This is an organization that I am interested in learning more about and possibly working with in the future!

 






Sources:
-http://food4africa.org/
- http://www.consultancyafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1122:food-insecurity-and-malnutrition-in-africa-current-trends-causes-and-consequences&catid=61:hiv-aids-discussion-papers&Itemid=268
- http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic
-http://www.letsmove.gov/

Childbirth in Your Life and Around the World

 Birth I was a part of:
The only birth that I particularly remember being a part of, is the birth of my nephew. He was born in May of 2012. Although I was not there for the actual birth, I can think back to visiting in the hospital. I remember a lot of things changing after he was born. It was amazing to me how much my family changed, not just the structure of my family, but also it changed the actual people in my family. My sister in law gave birth at the hospital and she did have an epidural. Her labor lasted about 4 hours. My brother periodically texted throughout the birth to keep me updated about what was going on, this was one way that I was able to participate in the birth.

Birth in another country:

Birth

Laboring women are isolated due to birth-related pollution beliefs.

 

Women usually cry in pain and scream as the birth approaches.

 

Some women may prefer lying on a bed during delivery, while others

may prefer to squat, either

on the floor or on a stool.

 

Profuse bleeding after delivery may

be viewed as a good sign linked to

the purification of the uterus

 

After birth

The mother and the child are usually isolated immediately after

delivery, due to beliefs about pollution and impurity linked to the

delivery process.

 

The period of seclusion and confinement of postpartum women varies

across regions. In many regions, t

he confinement period of postpartum

women can be up to 40 days.

 

Confinement is is practiced to protect mother and infant from exposure

to disease and from evil spirits. Both mother and child are considered

to be in a vulnerable state after birth.

 

Postpartum practices are usually

upheld and enforced by mothers-in-

law, aunts and other elderly female relatives. These women may

decide the kinds of food a postpartum woman can consume.

 

Some women may be required to follow a diet of puffed rice, tea and

hot water for the first three days after delivery.

The consumption of milk, butter, ghee and some types of fish is

encouraged due to the belief that these foods will increase the quantity

and quality of breast milk.

 

Postpartum women may consume a large quantity of garlic, to aid in

the contraction of the uterus or to ‘dry the womb’.

Common foods that are traditionally avoided by postpartum women

include certain varieties of green

leafy vegetables, fibrous vegetables,

melons, pumpkin, papaya, eggplant, shell fish, eggs (in certain castes

and communities), certain varieties of fish, lemons, limes, oranges,

grapes, chillies, bell peppers, spic

es, bananas, yoghurt, and oily food.

 

The placenta may be disposed of by

burying it under the floor of the

room where the birth occurred, or

in the courtyard

of the house.

 The placenta is buried to keep an enemy or

evil spirit from seizing it and influencing the well-being and longevity of the child. Health

professionals should offer the placenta to a postpartum woman.

Cold baths or showers are avoided. In the hospital, a postpartum

woman may accept a warm bath, but may be reluctant to have a warm

shower. 

 

 http://www.health.qld.gov.au/multicultural/health_workers/indian-preg-prof.pdf

 

A Note of Thanks and Support

Dear Fellow Students,

Thank you for the opportunity to share experience and information over this past 8 weeks. It was interesting reading everyone else's blogs and I learned a lot of new things writing my own. I wish each of you the best throughout the rest of your studies!

Amy

Examiniging Code of Ethics

I-1.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early

childhood care and education and to stay informed

through continuing education and training.

This ideal is important to me because I value continuing education in my own work with young children. I feel as though I have become a better teacher and caregiver the more I have been trained and educated in the field. Obviously there are general training requirements that should be met for people working with young children, but the more education I have gained the more I understand about the developing child. I feel like patience is something that is engrained in people, but I think the further I have gone in my education, the more patient I have become because I am learning why a child does what they are doing. I think redirection has become easier for me once I know the cause of a behavior.

I-1.3-To recognize and respect the unique qualities,

abilities, and potential of each child.

I-1.4—To appreciate the vulnerability of children and

their dependence on adults

I appreciate these ideals and chose to put both of them together because I think they are both really important and they go hand in hand. These ideals made me think back to learning about Vygotsky's theory of The Zone of Proximal Development. I think these ideals are important to always take into account also because it is important to always have realistic expectations for young children and to plan developmentally appropriate curriculum and activities. 

 I-1.8—To support the right of each child to play and

learn in an inclusive environment that meets the

needs of children with and without disabilities

This ideal is important to me because of my past experience working with young children with disabilities. I have seen the benefits of inclusion for both children with disabilities and typically developing children and I support inclusion. This is something I would be interested in being involved with and working with again.

Collection of Resources

 -Position Statements and Influential Practices

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
  
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  
  
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53\
•  UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

-Websites 

• • World Forum Foundation
    http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the media segment on this webpage
    
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep-usnc.org/
    Read about OMEP's mission.
    
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/
    Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements.
  -Orgnanizations
  
  • National Association for the Education of Young Children
    http://www.naeyc.org/
    
  • The Division for Early Childhood
    http://www.dec-sped.org/
    
  • Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
    http://www.zerotothree.org/
    
  • WESTED
    http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
    
  • Harvard Education Letter
    http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
    
  • FPG Child Development Institute
    http://www.fpg.unc.edu/
    
  • Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
    
  • HighScope
    http://www.highscope.org/
    
  • Children's Defense Fund
    http://www.childrensdefense.org/
    
  • Center for Child Care Workforce
    http://www.ccw.org/
    
  • Council for Ehttps://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4462362648180100348#editor/target=post;postID=1133677559250451490xceptional Children
    http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
    
  • Institute for Women's Policy Research
    http://www.iwpr.org/
    
  • National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
    http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
    
  • National Child Care Association
    http://www.nccanet.org/
    
  • National Institute for Early Education Research
    http://nieer.org/
    
  • Pre[K]Now
    http://www.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067
    
  • Voices for America's Children
    http://www.voices.org/
    
  • The Erikson Institute
    http://www.erikson.edu/
  -Journals 
•  
• YC Young Children
• Childhood
• Journal of Child & Family Studies
• Child Study Journal
• Multicultural Education
• Early Childhood Education Journal
• Journal of Early Childhood Research
• International Journal of Early Childhood
• Early Childhood Research Quarterly
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Studies
• Maternal & Child Health Journal
• International Journal of Early Years Education

-Additional Resources 

•  http://www.oaeyc.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1
•  http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc
•  A Child Called It By:Dave Pelzer 
• Creative Experiences for Young Children By:Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld

•  
  

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

 

 

“Home is a child's first and most important classroom." -Hillary Rodham Clinton, It Takes a Village

 

 “First, we parents have to back up school authority and quit making excuses for our kids when they misbehave.” - Hillary Rodham Clinton, It Takes a Village

 

 "Each of us must come to care about everyone else's children. We must recognize that the welfare of our children is intimately linked to the welfare of all other people's children. After all, when one of our children needs life-saving surgery, some else's child will perform it. If one of our children is harmed by violence, someone else's child will be responsible for the violent act. The good life for our own children can be secured only if a good secured for all other people's children." - Lilian Katz

"Experts generally agree that taking all opportunties to read books and other material aloud to children is the best preparation for their learning to read. The pleasures of being read to are far more likely to strengthen a child's desire to learn to read than are repetitions of sounds, alphabet drills, and deciphering uninteresting word". Lilian Katz

 

 "It is not all about you, you have to take your ego out and see what is best for the child." -Renatta M. Cooper 

"I had a built in passion that it was important to make a real contribution in the world and to fix all the injustices that existed in the world."-Louise Derman Sparks

Personal Childhood Web

Mom- My mom was my primary caregiver when I was a young child and many things that I learned came from my time spent with her. She always had high expectations of my brothers and I, but she made sure that she taught how to reach these expectations. My younger brother has many different health related problems. He was born when I was 4 years old. My mom had to take on a whole new role when he was born, because I was not in school yet, my mom had to find alternative care for me at different times because she needed to be at the hospital with my younger brother or she needed to take him to different appointments. I see a lot of strength in my mom and I want to be a strong role model for children that I work with. My mom was always a rock for my little brother and she taught him how to be brave. I want to be this inspiration to young children as well.

Grandma- My grandmother was always the rock that held my extended family together. She was a primary caregiver in my life when my mother was not able to care for me. Her house became a second home and I spent quite a bit of time there. My grandmother was a very strong women who was always giving. I think she taught me to be a caring person, even when others do not treat you very nicely. My grandma was a really good cook and she was always teaching me how to cook something new. It's funny the things you remember once someone is gone. One April 13th of this year, it will have been 10 years since she passed away. I'll never forget how her house smelled like Downy fabric softener and how sweet her hugs were  and the sound of her voice. I always knew that I could trust her and that my words were safe when shared with her. I miss her every day. I hope that pass on the same sort of memories to children I work with. That they will always know I love them. I want them to know that it is inevitable that they will be hurt at different times in life, but you must keep on living and loving just the same.

 Nathan- My younger brother had a huge impact in my life.Watching him go through so many things inspired me to want to help other children going through difficult health related issues. My brother and I always had a good relationship and after I decided that I wanted to work with young children my interested started growing to wanting to specifically support young children in the hospital. I think growing up with him and seeing him overcome a lot of difficulties has made me realize the things that are important in life.

Miss Hooper- Miss Hooper was my second grade teacher. She is one of the reasons I became interested in working with children at all. She was calm and patient and left a very lasting impression on me. School has always been a struggle for me, but I remember second grade being a time of learning through fun projects. Because it took me a longer time to complete assignments I would sometimes turn them in partially completed because I was embarrassed that everyone finished before me. Miss Hooper came up with encouraging ways for me to complete the assignments at my own pace without being embarrassed. I think one reason why Miss Hooper had such a strong impact on me is because she was truly able to see the unique individuality of each of her students. She valued each of us for who we are and what we contributed to the classroom. It is this view of children that I hope that always have in my own work with children. I want to make each child feel valued no matter what the circumstances.

Lizzy- Lizzy was my babysitter from a very young age. She another reason why I have a desire to work with young children. She was such a fun lively babysitter and I remember her being very patient with my two brothers and me. I started babysitting when I was 13 and my love for working with young children has only grown. I think I cherish and appreciate the care I received from Lizzy and I want to instill this in the children that I work with.