Child Development and Public Health- Immunizations

I chose to write about immunizations this week because I feel that there are some misconceptions about the dangers of vaccines. When I was in my Bachelor's program at Walden we were required to take a class in which the bulk of the work was a group project. The majority of the members of my group were public health nurses and we chose to research immunization. We looked at several aspects such as the importance of herd immunity, the rights and responsibilities of the government, the concerns of parents, and the myths of damage caused by vaccines. We created a mock blog which has a minimal amount of information but highlights the major headlines of what we had researched and were considering. There are 2 full posts in which you can read about Parental Refusal to Vaccinate and our Literary Review of the Importance of Immunization. Through this research many of the ideas I had about the dangers of vaccinating were dispelled.

I reviewed what immunization looks like in New Zealand because I feel that they are a model for the early education community. I was curious if they had any similarities to the United States when it comes to immunization. It turns out they have many similarities. The first of which is their immunization schedule. You can see that it has many similarities to the US schedule in both timing and types of vaccinations recommended.

It turns out that much like in the US immunization is not REQUIRED in New Zealand for school entry or enrollment in child care. However, it is strongly encouraged and it seems many parents have the misconception that vaccination is mandatory. What is required is an "Immunisation Certificate" for the purpose of identifying children who could be at risk in the event of a breakout of an immunizable disease.                    

I am not sure that any of the public health concerns, we researched this week, will affect my work directly. Since I do not have any direct contact with children or families these types of issues are not for me to address. However, I will continue to provide information to the ECE professionals I work with so they can share that information with families.

Birthing Stories

I am choosing to write about my own birth because it is the only birthing experience I have ever been a part of. Clearly, I have no memory of the event so I have asked my mother if she would write what she remembers because I figured she would have the most accurate information.

Here is what she said:

"You were born using the 'Modified LeBoyer Method' - dimmed lights (more like would be used in a home birth, not a hospital), natural birth-no drugs, once you popped out, the staff or maybe your father placed you in a body-temperature bath for a short time to clean you and keep you cozy and snug as you had been in the womb.  

"After all of that, they wrapped you up tightly and gave you to me for attempted nursing, but I don't think you were ready yet.

"In case you need some other info - doctor's name was Sheerin, he was the head of the ultrasound unit at what was then Boston Lying In and Hospital for Women, so he also had an ultrasound machine in his offices and so you were one of the first to be seen in this way in Boston.  I used to have a Polaroid pic of you in-utero, but I've looked and cannot find it.”

When I consider what impact birth has on child development I waiver between ways of thinking. On the one hand that very first experience could have an impact on later life. If complications arise or the birth is particularly stressful for the mother and baby that could impact the later development. On the other hand, I find myself thinking that apart from major, life-threatening complications the important part is what happens before and after birth- prenatal development and a child's life experiences.

I ended up researching a few different countries to find out what they recommend or what is most common for birthing experiences. What I found was that in some countries (like Brazil) doctors are recommending c-sections at an alarming rate because it costs more and requires longer hospitalization and so is a bigger payday for them. In contrast, I found that in countries like Japan and the Netherlands that epidurals are even uncommon and in the Netherlands home births are preferred by many women. In fact, even if a woman chooses to have her baby at a hospital she is still required to have a medical kit in her  home that has all of the supplies necessary for a home birth (called a kraampakket ). Also, every expectant mother is referred to a midwife and almost none will ever see an obstetrician.

The midwife has a number of duties which you would expect- like assisting during the labor and delivery process. A nurse however also comes into the picture after the birth to provide maternity home care, or kraamhulp/kraamzorg depending on your source, and will come to the home for around seven days covered completely by insurance to provide medical care as well as to clean, cook, and provide basic parenting tips. According to Lara Schalken from American Baby magazine- who gave birth in the Netherlands, "another important duty of the nurse is to manage the flow of visitors and make the traditional snack to celebrate a birth: beschuit met muisjes, which literally translates as 'biscuits with mice.' The 'mice' are actually miniature licorice bits with blue-and-white coating for boys, pink-and-white for girls"

The type of birthing experience you might find in the hospital in the Netherlands (as I mentioned the use of epidural is uncommon) might be somewhat similar to my own birth. However, I like the idea of the dimmed lights and warm bath that make my birth story seem more like a home birth even though it took place in a hospital setting. It does not surprise me at all that my mom would choose to have no painkillers and the soothing setting given that she always seems to be ahead of her time in cultural aspects. We have been calling her a hipster for years- even before it became "cool."

References

Court, H. (2016, May 13). 5 things about giving birth in the Netherlands. Retrieved from http://dutchreview.com/featured/5-things-giving-birth-netherlands/

Schalken, L. (n.d.). Birth customs around the world.  Retrieved from http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/

Thank You All

This week I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to read this blog and leave me your comments. You have made it comfortable to share personal stories and professional viewpoints; for that I am extremely grateful. Thank you for your support and feedback! I will take it with me as I move forward on my journey.

Wendy

Ideals that are Meaningful: Codes of Ethics

1.    We shall support professionals new to the field by mentoring them in the practice of evidence and ethically based services.

I feel that peer based learning through mentoring is one of the most effective and meaningful ways for anyone to learn a new skill. If we take the time to mentor and collaborate we provide the opportunity for those with little or no experience to gain knowledge through hands-on methods that are not possible through “formal” education alone. When we base our mentoring practices on evidence based knowledge we ensure that the experience gained is good experience.

As we know, not all experience is equal and so I would go further than this statement to say that mentoring those who are not new to the field but lack an understanding of evidence and ethically based services is equally important. In my own work as I coach I often find that those who have many years of experience in environments that do not fit into the realm of best practice often need the coaching and mentoring as much as (or even more than) those who are new to our field.

2.    We shall strive for the highest level of personal and professional competence by seeking and using new evidence based information to improve our practices while also responding openly to the suggestions of others.

This is significant to my professional life because I believe that I am a life-long learner and I hope I can encourage others to be, as well.  When we strive for competence, based on new evidence or suggestions from our peers, we continue to develop a growth mindset and avoid the pitfalls of stagnancy. As I mentioned above, it is often those who have become complacent who fail to provide the best possible opportunities for children.

In addition, my coaching role involves helping others to see the importance of being open to change, learning, and suggestion. I can do some of this by leading through my example. I aim to be open to suggestions from fellow coaches but also from providers (teachers, directors, etc.).  By doing so, I am able to continue to grow alongside them on the journey to improved quality.

3.    To accord co-workers due recognition of professional achievement.

The work we do in this field is complicated and at times difficult and exhausting. It is imperative that we continue to build our resiliency so that we can continue to provide exceptional services. Celebrating successes and achievements is one way that we can continue to build resilience in ourselves and our co-workers. It is also an unfortunate fact that most early childhood education professionals are not recognized by the “outside” world for their accomplishments. Therefore, it is crucial that we celebrate each other in the interest of encouraging each other to forge on and take on the challenges that will lead to more professional achievements. When we do this and we focus on positive mindsets we filter that out to those we serve and to our colleagues.

Optional:

What I want to remind myself of here is that although the optional portion of this assignment said to wrap up my introspective process I do not see this as a wrap-up. I see this as the beginning of a different journey in my learning process.  I hope that I will always be introspective and that my professional goals will continue to morph as I continue to be self-reflective and use the ideals above (along with many others) as a map to where and how I want to continue to grow as a professional, leader, and advocate in our field.

References

Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved from
http://www.dec-sped.org/

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

Professional Resources

I have placed my favorite additional resources at the top of this blog post for the ease of my classmates’ reading. Since we all have access to and will post the course resources I felt it made sense to place those I love in addition to the course resources at the top. Also, even though the course list includes Young Children Magazine in the Journal section I have included the website where you can access a number of the articles. If you are a member of NAEYC you can access all of the journals online. This will be valuable once we are out of school and no longer have access to the Walden Library. I hope some of these resources will be valuable to you!

My Favorite Additional Resources

Books:

Ø  Coaching With Powerful Interactions: A Guide for Partnering with Early Childhood Teachers- Amy Laura Dombro, Judy R. Jablon, and Shaun Johnsen   This is a great book that shows the parallel process of teaching children through Powerful Interactions and teaching adults through the same principles.

Ø  Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8- Carol Copple & Sue Bredekamp, Editors This title is one of critical importance in understanding the foundations of best practice.

Ø  Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs- Ellen Galinsky  This book is a fascinating look into how the brain is wired at birth and what essential skills children need to succeed in life.

Ø  Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder- Richard Louv  This book looks at the importance of connecting children with nature a subject that I feel gets far too little attention.

Ø  Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning- Amy Laura Dombro, Judy R. Jablon, Charlotte Stetson  This is one of the books that I have used with teachers regularly to help them understand the importance of intentional conversations with children and how to use a sense of wonder to connect with them.

Ø  The Intentional Teacher: Choosing the Best Strategies for Young Children’s Learning- Ann S. Epstein   This book focuses on how to give children experiences based on their learning style, their needs, and their interests.

Ø  The Visionary Director: A Handbook for Dreaming, Organizing, and Improvising in Your Center- Margie Carter & Deb Curtis  This is a great read for any leader (director or not) who wants to use their vision to make change and to lead with intention.

Ø  Designs for Living and Learning: Transforming Early Childhood Environments- Margie Carter & Deb Curtis  The pictures of beautiful spaces, alone, in this book make it worth owning! 

Websites:

ü  https://www.azregistry.org/ The Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry

ü  http://www.naeyc.org/ The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a leader in the field of Early Childhood Education

ü  http://sazaeyc.org/ This is the local Southern Arizona Affiliate/Chapter of NAEYC

ü  http://www.naeyc.org/yc/  Each quarter a new issue of Young Children (YC) magazine is published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and several of the articles are available online at this site

ü  http://www.naeyc.org/tyc/current NAEYC also publishes Teaching Young Children (TYC) you can find articles from the current issue at this site

ü  https://www.childcareexchange.com/ There are articles and other educational materials for purchase through this site

ü  http://www.childcareexchange.com/eed/  On this site you can sign up for a very short daily email that relates to hot topics in the field of Early Childhood Education

ü  http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/blog The Community Playthings Blog

ü  http://www.cdacouncil.org/ The Council for Professional Recognition is the National provider of the Child Development Associate (CDA) and also provides other professional development opportunities

ü  http://www.ooeygooey.com/ Lisa Murphy, The Ooey Gooey Lady, is a nationally recognized leader in the ECE community. Her website offers several resources including

o   Articles

o   Lists of her favorite books (for both ECE educators and children)

o   “Recipes” for tools and activities to use with children

o   And a whole lot more!

ü  http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/ Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning 

ü  http://www.azed.gov/early-childhood/ The Arizona Department of Education- Early Childhood Education Division

ü  http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/early_years/ EdWeek: Early Years: A blog about early childhood education

ü  http://nieer.org/ National Institute For Early Education Research:
Learn about the status of early education, the latest research in the field, legislation, and standards and policies

Resources from EDUC 6005 (Week 5):

Part 1: 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://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.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.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Part 2: Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being

·         Article: 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.

Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations

·         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 Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org/

·         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/

Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library

·         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

Quotes that Provoke Thought and Inspire

Quotes by Sue Bredekamp

“Good teachers acknowledge and encourage children’s efforts, model and demonstrate, create challenges and support children in extending their capabilities, and provide specific directions and instruction. All of these strategies can be used in the context of play and structured activities.”- Sue Bredekamp

"Children benefit most from teachers who have the skills, knowledge, and judgment to make good decisions and are given the opportunity to use them." Sue Bredekamp

Quotes by Virginia Buysse

“Reflection of real-life practices with individuals with diverse expertise who are gathered for a united purpose offered a unique opportunity for bidirectional knowledge generation and scaffolding- a core principle of a community of practice.”- Virginia Buysse

“Largely in response to requirements of funding agencies, we develop relationships with colleagues from other institutions, community agencies, and direct service programs, but our recognition of the benefits of such collaboration often is limited to the research itself (for example, the convenient recruitment of participants, assurance of common measures, and replication of effects across sites).”- Virginia Buysse

Quotes by Other Early Childhood Professionals

“I had, I think, a built in passion that it was important to make a real contribution to the world… and I wanted to do that through teaching.” Louise Derman-Sparks

“I’m not here to save the world. I’m here just to make a difference in the community that I’m working in.” Raymond Hernandez MS Ed 

Personal Childhood Web

My mom: The head of our household and matriarch of our little family. She was a single mother raising her daughters on a limited income. She made sure that we had relationships with other members of our extended family on both sides, even though she and my dad divorced when I was very young. As a child this was one of the ways in which she made sure I was nurtured and cared for. Clearly, she provided for me in a day to day sense but the way she fostered my relationships with others was critical to helping me develop.

She is an independent woman who knows herself completely. I have a deep level of respect for my mom. While she was raising my sister and me she instilled in us the idea that we can do anything if we put in the effort to achieve it. She finished her Bachelor’s degree at the age of 50 and had been pursuing it all through my childhood, one class at a time (there was no online, accelerated program back then). This is one important way in which her influence still impacts my life today. I still believe that if I put my mind to it and I work for it I can accomplish anything.

My Sister:  By far one of the most important people in my life. She is only 3 years older and we shared a room all through our childhood. You will notice she is in every picture with me in this post because we were inseparable when we were younger. Just 5 years ago she moved out to Arizona, where I have been living for 22 years, and we are once again undividable. Growing up she nurtured me and cared for me in so many ways I could never describe them all. However, to me the most important way is that she has always accepted me for exactly who I am. She continues to do this to this day. We can talk on the phone for 4 hours or more at a time and never run out of things to say because we share everything. This is the first relationship I ever had that involved complete and total trust.

My sister is a writer and in her first published novel she dedicated it to me:

This really says it all!

Grandparents: Although I was fortunate enough to grow up knowing all 4 of my grandparents I was particularly close to those on my dad’s side of the family. My dad lived downstairs from them while I was growing up and any time we went for visitation with him we spent a lot of time with my grandparents. I remember the smells of my grandmother’s kitchen and the warmth that they always showed toward my sister and me. It brings tears to my eyes when I think about how close I was to my Gramma Alice (Gram) because we shared a very special relationship. I would cuddle up with her while we read or watched TV. She always had kisses and hugs for me and she had a special way of giving those kisses- three short and one long and she made the loudest kissing noises while she did it! I have taken to kissing the kids of my good friends in this way and I’m sure if I had kids of my own this would be a generational trait that would continue to be passed down.

My Grampa Ed (Gramp) was a bear of a man and had hands the size of baseball mitts. He was also the most gentle, friendly, loving man I have ever known. He was also incredibly funny. He always had a trick to play or a joke to tell and he made me laugh hysterically (and sometimes groan from the puns). He cared about my sister and me with a ferocity that is hard to explain. Putting into words these types of relationships is a real challenge because it is hard to describe a feeling that is so deep and eternal. I strive to match Gram’s warmth and loving nature and Gramp’s sense of humor every day.

Aunts and Uncles: Much like my grandparents I had close relationships with a few of my aunts and uncles but one set in particular. My Aunt Trish and Uncle Jeff were like surrogate parents to me. We spent an incredible amount of time with them and they always made me feel special. They were there for every life event but they also took care of us a lot on the weekends when my mom was doing school work. Or, my dad would take us to their house when we had a long weekend with him. Trish taught me to cook, do all sorts of crafts, and all about great 60s/70s rock music. Trish and Jeff took us on all sorts of adventures, too. His cousin was the drummer of the band The Cars and they took me to my first concert ever. They took us camping and apple picking. But my favorite story is the time they took us to Disney World in Florida.

I was about 8 years old and we had gone to Disney for a week. At some point while we were there my sister and I conspired in the pool to ask Uncle Jeff if we could call him dad while we were there. There were a bunch of kids in the pool with their dads and we were feeling left out. Jeff is a loving man but not very mushy- that day tears actually came to his eyes and he told us of course we could call him dad. That is one indication of how much of an influence they were on both my sister and me. To this day I think about the idea that a mom or dad doesn’t have to be your biological parent in order to mean as much to you.

A special song Trish used to sing to me because I was always right behind her.

 All of these family members had a huge impact on my upbringing and on who I am today. Although I spent time with others, and could have had a web of 12-15 people, these are the few that I could narrow down for the sake of space (and based on the assignment criteria).