Children Living in Poverty

The stressor I think I can most relate to is poverty.  I can relate to this stressor the most because the vast majority of the students I teach are currently living in poverty.  Every child at the school receives free breakfast and either free or reduced lunch.  The neighborhoods they live in are tantalized by crime.  Some of the students not only have to deal with violence within the neighborhood, but abuse and neglect within their own home.  School is supposed to be a safe haven for these students and they do feel safe with the adults, but with other students the tension is increasingly high.  Since these children see violence on a day to day basis they are frustrated and can not remained focused.  This inhibits their ability to learn both academically and socially.  They are not capable of dealing with anger appropriately because they do not have any good role models.  Instead, once they have reached a certain level of anger, they feel that their solution is to fight.  The suspension rate at the school is one of the highest in the county.  The teachers and administration can only do so much to help these children escape from the life they are living.

Children living in poverty has the same affect in Germany as in the United States.  Poor children face limited educational opportunities. According to a AWO-Study only 9% of the pupils are poor.^[7] Poor children are likely to experience adversities beyond money. They are more likely to be raised by a teenage-parent. They are more likely to have multiple young siblings, are more likely to be raised in crime-ridden neighborhoods and more likely to live in substandard apartments which are often overcrowded. Their parents are likely to be less educated and they are more likely to have emotional problems.^[8]
Children growing up poor are more likely to get involved in accidents than their non-poor peers.^[9] They are less likely to follow a healthy diet.^[10] They are less likely to be healthy. In poor neighborhoods many children suffer from speech impairments and stunted motoric development^[11] They tend to have lower IQs.^[12]

Child Development and Public Health Issues

The topic I chose was immunization.  The topic is meaningful to me because at one point in time people believed that immunizations were the cause of Autism.  With the number of children being diagnosed with Autism on the rise I think parents were beginning to think that they should not have their children immunized.  At this point in time, research does not prove immunizations cause Autism.

Immunizations are important. The eight childhood diseases (measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and polio) which are preventable by immunization, can, and do, cause crippling and, sometimes, death. These illnesses are serious and their complications can be terrible.
With the exception of tetanus, these diseases are contagious. They can spread rapidly from child to child and from community to community. As long as children remain unprotected against them, serious outbreaks of disease - even epidemics - can occur.
It is important for parents to understand what protection vaccines give and what risks vaccines create for their children. Generally, vaccines are among our safest and most effective medicines.

Unlike the Americas, Scandinavia and the UK, vaccinations are not compulsory in Germany.   Childhood vaccination is usually performed by pediatricians or general practitioners and is free of charge. Vaccinations are not mandatory in Germany, but status is routinely documented from vaccination cards presented at school entry examinations.

Child Birth Experience

The birthing experience that I am going to share is the birth of my daughter.    The experience that I had with her was amazing!  I went into labor the night before she was actually due.  My contractions started at approximately 2:00 a.m.  I did not want to rush to the hospital because I was in labor with my son for 32 hours, so I figured I had some time.  After the contractions started I waited about 45 minutes before I went to the hospital.  Once I got to the hospital they decided to they were going to go ahead and admit me.  I was only in a labor a total of 3 hours.  My doctor told me if I decide to have anymore children that I should plan on camping out at the hospital.  The delivery was very calm and relaxed without any complications.  What made this experience special and memorable was the two nurses decided to sing happy birthday to my daughter.  My daughter was an easy going baby who was easy to keep happy.  I’m sure that the birthing experience contributed to that. 

In Germany birthing experiences take place in a hospital, but the actual delivery is typically performed by a midwife.  There are doctors at the hospital, but they only intervene if there are complications.  Mother and baby stay at the hospital for approximately one week.  Once they go home the midwife works with the family for forty-five days to help them learn and adjust to the new addition. 

I think having someone other than family members available to you is a fantastic idea.  First, because they are trained professionals and would be able to answer any questions the family may have especially for first time parents.  Bringing home a new baby is exhausting and it would be beneficial to have someone that would be able to help you cope with the new challenges that will come with having a baby.