Sarah Schmidt is a freshman in
college, and she is originally from the small town of Boyce, VA. Before she
left for school, Sarah found out that her dad might lose his job. This meant
that her parents might not be able to pay for education after her first year.
During her first few weeks at school, Sarah turned to alcohol as she had easy
access to it. Alcohol helped her avoid handling her below average grades and
the stress of possibly having to quit school. After months of binge drinking,
Sarah found out that she became pregnant, and the father was another college
freshman who she met at a party. Jacob Kowalski was shocked when he heard this
news, and he did not take it well. He was worried about what his family would
think of him after finding out he was going to be a father at 19 years old. Because
of this, Jacob made the decision to stay out of Sarah and the baby’s life and
continue life as normal.
After
finding out she was pregnant, Sarah immediately panicked, because she knew she
had been drinking excessively not knowing she was pregnant. She quit drinking,
but this did not stop the early effects of alcohol, because her daughter was
born with severe fetal alcohol syndrome. She named her daughter Casey who was
born underweight, and she had to spend a few weeks in the ICU. Refusing to take
a break from school, Sarah moved out of her dorm and into a small apartment
with Casey. The apartment was in a bad part of town, and it was not previously
taken care of as there were holes in the walls. Her parents have been providing
money to her for rent, but Sarah was not sure how long they could keep
providing her money. Desperate for help, she asked Jacob to take care of the
baby while she was at class and vice versa. This caused a lot of stress between
the two of them, because neither of them knew how to balance school and their baby.
In addition, they did not pay much attention to Casey while they were home.
Casey continued to show signs of developmental issues as she had poor muscle
tone and poor coordination skills. She also was not gaining much weight which
concerned Sarah and Jacob.
Questions:
1. Describe the
importance of child-parent attachment for a newborn (refer to Ed Tronick Still
Face on YouTube). What are the risks inherent in “not paying much attention” to
Casey?
2. Outline the risks
associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. What are the physical, cognitive,
and socio-emotional effects of prenatal alcohol exposure? Outline the risks.
3. When a child is
born with severe fetal alcohol syndrome, is the mother reported to the
Department of Social Services for child abuse? Why or why not?
DECISION POINT: Does
Jacob tell his mother and father about the baby? Why or why not?
1) Child-Parent attachment for a newborn child is very important, because babies tell us what they need, and the parents are due to respond to what they need. Children, with parents who respond to them in the first year of their life, develop a stronger ability to manage stress, form healthier relationships, perform better in school, and enjoy a high quality of life and self worth. They have a balance life and by having a healthy attachment with your child, it will help them be a functioning human being in society. All infants naturally attach to their primary caregivers, and it's the natural attachment whether it is secure or insecure that makes the difference in a child's life. Bonding, refers to the form that the relationship develops with the child. Babies with a secure healthy attachment understand the parent or caregiver is a source of comfort and a solid base to which they can explore the world. In the Ed Tronick video, a mother was asked to react to her child, and then give the child a silent, still face. The baby picks up on it, and uses all abilities to try and get the mother back by smiling, pointing, and screeching. The baby when the mother does not respond, displays stress and loses posture. When you don't give a child the opportunity to get back the good, they are stuck in an ugly situation and it will cause the baby stress and will not have an attachment with the mother, if the mother, is not catering to the child's needs and forming a bond with the caregiver.
ReplyDelete2) Some of the risks that are associated with prenatal alcohol exposure include having a child born with an intellectual disability, downsyndrome, low baby weight, and an alcohol dependence. Prenatal exposure to alcohol was also highly associated with higher levels of conduct disorders, and can also have effects on them later in life by using illicit substances, having an alcohol dependence, and antisocial/behavioral disorders. Birth defects are also common. They could also have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder which is various permanent birth defects caused by the mother's consumption of alcohol during her pregnancy. The effects can range from physical, behavioral, and cognitive. Physical effects could be birth defects, such as facial abnormalties such as smaller eye openings, flattened cheekbones, and indistinct philtrum. Bevaioral effects could include poor coordination and fine motor skills, hyperactivity, inability to concentrate, social withdraw, stubbornness, impulsiveness, and anxiety. Cognitive could be learning disabilities, poor memory, poor language comprehension, poor problem solving skills, and poor socialization skills. Developmental delay, small head circumstance, and low birth weight are also factors.
3)When a child is born with severe fetal alcohol syndrome, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment ACT, requires states to have policies and procedures in place to notify child protective services agencies of substance exposed newborns and to establish a plan of safe care for newborns identified as being affected by illegal substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure.Nurses or doctors have to report it if they know.
ReplyDeleteDecision Point: No, Jacob does not tell his mother and father about the baby. He is an immature 19 year old college freshman, who should tell his parents, but is ashamed of the child and wants to keep it a secret, so it does not ruin his social status. He thinks he can handle this all on his own, and he does not want his parents looking down on him. He is a stubborn child, and although he should ask for help, he does not.
Citations:
Bartoshesky, L. (2011, November 1). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. KidsHealth - the Web's most visited site about children's health. Retrieved June 18, 2014, from http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/fas.html
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
When a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, she risks giving birth to a child who will be born with full-blown fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Read more...
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (n.d.). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Retrieved June 18, 2014, from http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol/FetalAlcoholSyndrome.html#.U6HzGfldW8A
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and alcohol risks during pregnancy to fetus, drinking recommendations for women who are pregnant or expecting, prevention of the disease, scientific medical research findings, occasional drinking in moderation issues, official guidelinesand other matters are presented.
Read more...
How Do Early Attachments Shape Behavior?. (n.d.). About.com Psychology. Retrieved June 18, 2014, from http://psychology.about.com/od/loveandattraction/a/attachment01.htm
How Early Attachments Shape Behavior
Attachment theory is centered on the emotional bonds between people and suggests that our earliest attachments can leave a lasting mark on our lives.
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