Child Development and Public Health

"An estimated 130 million infants are born around the world each year. Protecting these newborns from vaccine-preventable diseases requires an organized, accessible, and well-functioning immunization program as a key component of a country's public health program" (Center for Disease Control and Prevention).

     Immunizations are something that I never thought twice about! I had the luxury of having immunizations accessible and free for both of my children. We went for our baby check-ups and it was routine to give them their vaccines. Not all countries are as fortunate to have health care at their fingertips. Vaccination has been so successful that we now rarely see potentially deadly infections such as diphtheria, polio or preventable types of meningitis. J.P. Baker (Berger, 2012) states that immunization is said to have had "a greater impact on human mortality reduction and population growth than any other public health intervention besides clean water." However, children in developing countries who don't get vaccinated are still at risk of deadly infections. "Successful vaccination programs save thousands of lives, which is why organizations such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization are committed to making vaccines against measles, polio, and other serious diseases, available to as many children as possible around the world" (CDC).  Each child that has been vaccinated helps to stop the spread of disease and immunizations also protects children from complications such as; blindness, deafness, sterility, and meningitis (Berger, 2012).

     What about diseases that can't be prevented through immunizations? What about children and their families who are exposed to malaria? There is no vaccine for malaria, but there are preventable measures, but developing countries don't have the means to implement these preventable resources. According to the article, "Information on Malaria" it states that malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted by the bite of an Anopheles mosquito that occurs between dusk and dawn because the Anopheles mosquitoes feed at night. There are an estimated 216 million cases of malaria each year globally, which is alarming when you consider how preventable it is. I am not sure if any of you have heard of the campaign, "Spread the Net' but this campaign helps to raise money for countries that are exposed to malaria so they can purchase bug nets for when families sleep. That is why there is such a need for bed nets. One $10 bed net can protect a family of five from malaria for five years.

     Last year the Colleges and Universities across Canada were challenged with a "Spread the Net" contest to see which learning institution could raise the most amount of money in four months. The students and teachers came together at the college that I work at and over the period of four months, we as a school community raised just over $40,000 and we were the college that raised the most amount of money across Canada!! That money raised could protect as many as 19,000 lives from malaria. These bug nets protect families while they sleep which can lower the risks of being bit through the night by the mosquitoes that carry the disease.

     "Spread the Net" is a campaign that our college community continuously supports and one that I value as well. If we can keep children safe from disease by providing them and their families with one bug net and give them the quality of life they deserve then it is so worth trying to make a difference. We try and ensure that the children in our own communities have the chance to thrive and have opportunities to develop to their fullest, but it is important to think beyond our own community. Every child deserves the best and if we can make a difference then it is worth it.


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

Global Vaccines and Immunizations. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from:

http://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/immunization/

Information on Malaria. International Travel Health and Vaccination Clinic Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.doctortravel.ca/index.php?page=malaria

Childbirth in my Life and in Holland

Who would have ever thought that this......   

                       

Could result in this!!!

  

 What a journey life is, to start out as a cell then into an embryo to a fetus to a birth of a baby and then through the different stages of development!

I have been blessed with two beautiful children who are now 10 and 12 years of age. They have enriched my life with love, laughter and pure enjoyment. I had two distinct pregnancies and birth experiences with each.

I got pregnant later in life as it was never the right time…either I was in school or my husband was in school. I got pregnant with my son when I was 31 so I was considered older. I had a great pregnancy; I ate healthy, stayed fit, read every book and took my vitamins, just as I was supposed to.  We had our “birthing plan”, chose our doctor and hospital and went to prenatal classes. Home birth was never even considered for some reason. Hospital births were just what everyone did. Home birth seemed scary to me…what if there was a problem? We took time to enjoy each month as my belly grew and the baby began to move. I read to him and sang to him and so did my husband. Ben arrived two weeks early, it was fine that he was a bit early, but it was not fine as my water broke in the middle of night….the early morning of my best friend’s wedding….did I mention that I was the “maid of honor”…YIKES!!! That was the first time that I experienced any stress throughout my entire pregnancy. I had more tears about missing her wedding than I did about going into labor!

The doctors and nurses made my experience as pleasant as they could…that was after they all auditioned to see who would take over the role as the new “maid of honor”. There was no doubt in my mind…I was having an epidural. If I didn’t have to feel the pain then I was signing up! Yeah for epidurals! My son was born a healthy 6 lbs. 6 oz. My son who is now 12 does have a learning disability with a diagnosis of a mild intellectual delay. School is very hard for Ben as he works academically at a grade 1 level. He has lots other strengths that we tend to focus on; he is funny, loving and caring and a wicked snowboarder!

So who knows why this happened? 

I know that we were only to talk about one experience, but I just want to share quickly how my second was quite different. My second pregnancy was exactly two years later. I was very excited to have another baby and a sibling for my son. This pregnancy was anything but relaxing. Everything was fine until we reached our fifth month. At an ultrasound appointment, they spotted that instead of having a three vessel cord there were only two. We found out this could result into two things; either renal problems (kidney problems) or trisomy-21 known as Down syndrome. That was the worst day ever!!! I was so nervous during that appointment. The doctor asked me lots of questions, measured every part of the baby. The doctor said it was too late to do an amniocentesis so we would just have to wait and see. The technician tried to reassure me that everything looked great but we didn’t know for sure. I went home and cried! I tried to stay positive and not stress, but that was impossible. Next, we found out that she was breech. They tried to turn her, but she wouldn’t turn….now I know where her stubbornness comes from. We had to schedule a C–section due to the fact that she was breech, so that made me nervous as well. Well, my daughter didn’t wait until her scheduled C-section as she decided to break my water 3 days prior. My experience was a lot different as this birthing process became surgery, so it seemed much more formal. I was more nervous because I was unsure of her health. When she arrived, my husband whispered in my ear that she was fine! J A pregnancy that was so stressful resulted with a perfectly healthy baby born at 7lbs. 2oz. No renal problems and no Down syndrome?? Now at 10 years old she thrives in school, is in competitive gymnastics and snowboards.

I decided to compare birthing experiences from what I know about the United States to Holland’s birthing practices as this is a place that I have always wanted to visit. 

Rather than seeing an obstetrician, expecting mothers are referred to a local midwife practice and doctors will only intervene if complications arise or if there are high risk cases (Schalken, 2104).  All pregnant mothers are expected to pick up a kit called a kraampakket which has all of the supplies that they will need if they have a home birth (Schalken, 2104).  If you do not decide on a home birth, the midwife will come to the house and check on the mother’s progress and let the parents know when they should go to the hospital (Schalken, 2104).   If you decide on a hospital birth, it’s unlikely that you’ll get an epidural as epidurals are usually given only if it’s convenient for the anesthesiologist’s schedule. Giving birth naturally remains ideal for the vast majority of Dutch women. If a mother gives birth early in the day without complications, she and the baby may go home in as little as two hours (Schalken, 2104). One of their customs is for the nurse to make a traditional snack to celebrate the birth and manage the visitors who come to see mom and baby (Schalken, 2104).

References

Schalken, L. (20140. Birth customs around the world. American Baby. Retrieved from:

       http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?page=2