Kendra is now 6 months old.
The last year has been incredibly stressful for Art and Esther, and they have
barely been able to make the payments on their home. The new baby has only
added to their already tense daily lives. The stress has taken a toll on their
relationship, and they get into verbal shouting matches frequently. Art’s anger
scares Esther and makes her think back to her own upbringing when her mother
and father got into shouting and shoving matches.
Kendra seems to be a
particularly difficult child to console, and she hasn’t come close to sleeping
through the night. Esther is at her wits end and is feeling more and more alone
– she often has a hard time getting out of bed in the morning, and she hasn’t
had much of an appetite in spite of the fact that she has been breastfeeding. Things
with Art continue to deteriorate, and she is not sure whether to be worried or
relieved.
1) Write a developmentally
appropriate dialogue that the Kleinmans might have with their son to introduce
him to his new sister.
2) What should Kendra be
doing physically, cognitively, and emotionally at 6 months of age? Are there
aspects of her development at this point that we might legitimately expect to
be “culture bound?”
3) What is the likely
effect of the ongoing verbal arguments on Kendra’s development?
4) If Esther is suffering
from depression, what might be helpful for her? If she were to go on
medication, would this be safe for the baby? What are the risks associated with
post-partum depression? What effect might such a condition have on the
attachment relationship between mother and child?
5) Describe typical
practices in the three major Western religions with regard to the newborn baby.
If the Kleinmans practice Judaism, are there specific practices or actions they
would have undertaken when Kendra was born or shortly thereafter?
DECISION POINT
* Do the Kleinmans stay together? If not, what happens to Kendra and her brother?
The following is a developmentally appropriate dialogue the Kleinman’s might have with their son to introduce his new baby sister, Kendra: “Honey, meet your new baby sister, her name is Kendra. You are going to be her big brother! Since she is brand new and many things are scary to her, we have to be very careful. Kendra is a tiny baby, and tiny babies need a lot of attention. Mommy will carry the baby a lot, just like I did with you. Kendra needs a lot of love and care that we will give to her, but know that we love you just as much as we love her. Since Kendra is so young, she is interested in touching the things around her. When baby Kendra grabs you and holds on tight, she is telling you how much she loves you. She will also cry a lot, but when she does that, she is just telling daddy and I that she needs help. Since you are her big brother, she may need your help sometime too! Just keep in mind how important your job as big brother is to your new baby sister. You are so good at playing soccer, and when Kendra is bigger, you will be able to teach her how to play!
ReplyDeleteAt 6 months of age, physically, Kendra should already be showing interest in her surroundings by making efforts to move towards them. According to a website titled Child Development 6 Months (n.d.), a 6 month old should be actively carrying out functions such as rolling from front to back, getting oneself into a sitting position by using shoulder to pull oneself up, lifting legs into a vertical position, holding arms up to indicate wish to be lifted, changing body position to reach for an object, grabbing items with both hands and mostly placing in mouth, and reaching for small toys when offered. Cognitively, a 6 month old should be able to understand the meanings of simple words such as ‘mama’ or ‘dada,’ should also understand certain objects and what to expect from them, they should turn immediately when hearing a parents voice from a distance, they should be able to understand what ‘up’ and ‘down’ mean, and should be talking to oneself in a tuneful voice (n.d.). Emotionally, a 6 month old should be aware of the emotions of those surrounding them, such as crying with someone else is crying; they should also be showing signs of distress when parent leaves them, and they should be growing more wary of strangers they come in contact with (n.d.). At the age of 6 months, Kendra should be practicing or attempting most of these behaviors. Some “culturally bound” aspects of her development may include talking in the gibberish, ‘goo-goo-ga-ga” language, being able to hold herself in an upright position, being able to establish the knowledge of ‘mama’ and ‘dada,’ and laughing at situations that may be funny to them.
ReplyDeleteEven as young as 6 months, Kendra is still being affected by the verbal arguments between her parents. A Purdue University publication states that children are well aware of parental problems and stress in their environment (Goetze, Karuppaswamy, Natrajan, Myers-Walls, 2004). Quoted in The New York Times (2012), Robert Emde a child psychiatrist at the University of Colorado Medical Center states, “A younger child who sees his or her parents fighting is likely to be frightened.” He also says that children who are repeatedly exposed to parental confrontation can turn off emotionally, becoming closed, which will show up as trouble in learning at school. “Angry confrontations between parents, which go on for many years, create a negative emotional climate that can undermine a child’s psychological development,” said Marian Radke-Yarrow, director of the Laboratory of Developmental Psychology (The New York Times, 2012). Being around prolonged confrontation can cause children to have problems with playmates, which can be early signs of trouble in forming peer relationships. Behavioral scientists believe that shielding children from every parental disagreement can lead a child to have an unrealistic view about how people deal with emotions such as anger (The New York Times, 2012).
ReplyDeleteThe three major Western religions are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Christianity does not have many religious practices for newborn babies. Christians with the denominations of the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, the Methodist Church, and the United Reformed Church, believe in infant baptisms, while other denominations such as the Baptist church, Pentecostal, and Evangelical churches believe baptism is for true believers who have made this decision at an earlier age (Jones, 2001). There are some churches in Christianity that hold Infant Dedication services to introduce the new infant to the congregation. According to Tracy Rich (2011), under the Jewish law, the life of a human begins when they are born and they are free of sin or “pure.” Before the baby is born, not much attention is to be drawn to the baby. They claim that drawing attention to the baby also draws bad luck to the baby (2011). Naming a child is done after they are born. Girls receive their name during a synagogue and boys receive their name at the brit milah or ritual circumcision (2011). Another custom Judaism has for a newborn is circumcision. This is done to only boys on their eighth day of life. There are also many rituals for newborns under the Islamic religion. This rituals include congratulating the parents and giving gifts to the child, “azan” is said into the right ear and “iqaamah” is said into the left ear to declare the greatness and majesty of Allah, tahneek should be done by placing a chewed or softened date on the child’s palate, the child’s head is shaved on the seventh day of life, the child is also given a name on the seventh day, and circumcision is done on baby boys (Darul Uloom Trinidad and Tobago, 2012). If the Kleinmans practice Judaism, Kendra would be born “pure” or free of sin. Before her birth, her parents would have a bought many clothes or items for her to avoid drawing attention to her. She would be named at the next synagogue her family attends. Since Kendra is a baby girl, she would not have a circumcision ceremony.
ReplyDeleteDECISION POINT
ReplyDeleteWe think the Kleinmans should stay together. However, they both need to seek help. Art needs help for his anger and Esther needs help for her depression. They both need to learn how to manage their stress. To receive this assistance, we think marriage counseling would be very beneficial to them. We also feel it is important for the children to have both parents around to care for them. If the Kleinmans are not together, it could add more stress to the children from having to visit each parent at different times.
References:
ReplyDeleteChild development 6 months: Stages of development of your 6-month-old child. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2012 from http://www.child-development-guide.com/child-development-6-months.html
Darul Uloom Trinidad and Tobago. (2012). Islamic practices for a new born baby. Retrieved on May 22, 2012 from http://www.darululoomtt.org
Goetze, G., Karuppaswamy, N., Natrajan, R., & Myers-Walls, J. (2004). How children experience divorce. Retrieved May 22, 2012, from www.ces.purdue.edu/providerparent/PDF%20Links/HowChildrenExperienceDivorce
Goleman, D. (2012). Chronic arguing between parents found harmful to some children. Retrieved from The New York Times, May 23, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/25/science/chronic-arguing-between-parents-found-harmful-to-some-children.html
Fox News. (2012). Fewer children die in accidents, drug overdoses up. Retrieved May 24, 2012, from http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/04/16/cdc-accidental-kids-deaths-down-30-percent/
Jones, G. (2001). Rites of passage: Christian birth rites. Retrieved from the FitzWimarc School, May 22, 2012 from http://www.fitzwimarc.org.uk/rites/birth.htm
Medline Plus. (2012). Postpartum depression. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007215.htm
PubMed Health. (2012). Postpartum depression. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004481/
Rich, T. (2011). Birth and the first month of life. Retrieved from Judaism 101, May 22, 2012 from http://www.jewfaq.org/birth.htm
Smith, M., Robinson, L., & Segal, J. (2012). Antidepressants: What you need to know about depression medicine. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/medications_depression.htm
University of Michigan Depression Center. (2003). School-based depression education and outreach collaborations. Retrieved May 22, 2012, from http://www.depressioncenter.org/schools/resources.asp
Womenshealth.gov. (2009). Depression during and after pregnancy fact sheet. Retrieved May 22, 2012, from http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/depression-pregnancy.cfm
This is supposed and the comment after this one is supposed to be before the religion paragraph.
ReplyDeleteDepression is a common problem that can be experienced during and after pregnancy. According to Womenshealth.gov (2009), “About 13 percent of pregnant women and new mothers have depression” (para. 2). If Esther is suffering from depression, she should see her doctor to confirm her diagnosis. Her doctor can also refer Esther to mental health professionals who specialize in treating depression. The University of Michigan Depression Center (2003) lists many resources for educators, parents, and students who may be experiencing depression. Families for Depression Awareness “Is a non-profit organization founded in 2001, made up of families who have lost a member to suicide or watched one suffer with depression. Its mission is to help families recognize and cope with depressive disorders in order to heal and prevent suicide” (University of Michigan Depression Center, 2003, para. 12). Esther should also rest as much as she can, and be not afraid to ask Art or her family and friends for help. Talking with other mothers and joining a support group can also help her learn from other’s experiences. It would benefit not only Esther, but her children as well if she were to take medication for her depression. Smith, Robinson, and Segal (2012) state, “Most mental health experts agree that when depression is severe, medication can be helpful, even life-saving” (para. 1). Seeing their mother with high spirits, allows for normal development to occur among the children. If Esther decides to take depression medication, it would be wise for her to learn as much as she can about her prescription. The more you know about your antidepressant, the better equipped you’ll be to deal with side effects, avoid dangerous drug interactions, and minimize other safety concerns (Smith, Robinson, & Segal, 2012).
Esther also needs to be careful about where she keeps her medication, to avoid the possibility of Kendra getting a hold of it. As quoted in a Fox News article (2012), the Center for Disease Control states, “Accidental poisonings for all kids and teens rose by 80 percent, to 824 in 2009” (para. 8). Most deaths such as these occurred simply because a child wandered into their parent’s medicine cabinet. Post-partum depression is moderate to severe depression in a woman after she has given birth, and usually occurs within the first three months after delivery (PubMed Health, 2012). Feelings of anxiety and restlessness are common in the weeks after pregnancy. However, if these feelings continue and worsen, then post-partum depression could arise. There are many risks associated with post-partum depression if left untreated. According to PubMed Health (2012), risks such as agitation/irritability, changes in appetite, loss of energy, significant anxiety, trouble sleeping, and thoughts of death and suicide can occur. Suffering from post-partum depression can have serious affects on the attachment relationship between mother and child. Medline Plus (2012) states that mothers with post-partum depression may be unable to care for herself or her baby, and will be afraid to be alone with her baby. Untreated post-partum depression can affect your ability to parent, in which you may feel moody, lack energy, or not be able to meet your child’s needs. Womenshealth.gov (2009) states, “Researchers believe post-partum depression in a mother can affect her baby, because it can cause the baby to have delays in language development, behavior problems, and increased crying” (para. 9). Problems with mother-child bonding can also occur.
ReplyDelete