Developmental Project

Nuture, Love & Care

In The Deepest well Nadine Burke Harris reviews one of her patients whom just recntly had a premie baby that required a lot of extra care. As a single mother she struggled and often would neglect the needs of her daughter, sit with her headphones in and not tend to the cries as a nuturing mother would, or should. There has been a long standing interest in how strongly infants perception is influenced by nature or nurture (Bremner, 2021: Johnson, 2020) Eventually the daughter stopped showing progression and Nadine worked with the mother and daughter to reach better opportunities for the mother to tend to those needs required of her infant daughter. But she still wondered, why was she like this>?

Infancy Development

"Babies are such a nice way to start people."

-Don Herold

Infancy

Lick your Pups

The importance of love and nuture when you are an infant is reflective in your development. However, as infants develop, environmental experiences (nurture) refine or calibrate many perceptual functions, and they may be the dirivng force behind some functions. (Johnson, 2020). In the Deepest Well, Nadine Burke Harris discussed a study done on pups. She associated with mother dogs licking their pups and the effect it had on their response to stress hormones. In conclusion, those pups that were highly licked became high lickers themselves. In comparison, when a mother nutures and caters to her infant the conclusions are linked to a greater or better response to stressfull stimuli. In comparison to the scenario above, Nadine learned that as a child, this new mother was not nurtured or "licked" per say and because of these reasonings she herself was not a mother who catered to her daughters needs.

Diego is a patient of Burke's, he is 7 years old but he doesn't resemble your average seven year old. He is much smaller and upon further invstigation his bone test showed he was the size of a 4 year old. After several visits with Diego and his mother Burke came to the conclusion that Diego had been sexually abused and the incident occured when he was 4 years old. Ever since the incident Diego had stunted in growth. Growth hormone deficiency, a phyiscal problem that develops in childhood, maternal smoking during pregnancy, or emotional difficulty. Diego had undergone a large dose of hormonal stress and it created a growth failure. During important developmental stages when high stress hormones are released it can have an outsized impact on an individuals downward health.

Early

Childhood

Early Childhood

"A child's life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark."

Robert A. Heinlein

Among the events or trauma experienced through childhood, they have a leading effect into health as a young child and adult.

Children raised in lower income areas are 2.5x more likely to develop pnemonia, 6x more likely to develop asthma, and 12x more likely to develop uncontrolled diabetes.

Adversity trauma is at the root of mental and physical health.

Childhood Adversities

Adversities in Childhood follow you

Even something as simple as growing up in a non-affluent area has its links to adversity.

ACE Scores

An ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other adverse childhood experiences. A higher score indicates a higher risk for health problems later in life.

ACE's Linked to Poverty

Adolescence

Adolescence

"Adolescence is the conjugator of childhood and adulthood."

–Louise J. Kaplan

A recent study found that neighborhood poverty was linked to delinquincy in adolescence especially through maternal stress and adverse childhood experience.(Wang, Choi, & Shin, 2020)

ACE's Linked to Depression

Adolescents who are experiencing high levels of stress and/or a loss of some type are at increased risk for developnig depression. (Alsaad, Azhar, & Nazsser, 2022)

Obesity

Obesity is not only a problem for many children and adolescents but also a serious pervasive problem for adults.(Schiff, 2020) is linked to experiences faced when growing up as well as poor diet and unhealthy habits. These lifesyles are associated with poor health, which in turn diminishes life satisfaction.

ACEs and Obesity

Early Adulthood

Early Adulthood

Dr. Vincent Felitti held a weight loss clinic, longitudinal studies suggest that self-reported physical and sexual abuse during childhood greatly increase one’s risk for severe obesity in adulthood.

"Adulthood is not an age, but a stage of knowledge of self."

-John Fowles

Felitti's Weight-loss Clinic

During one of Felittis' clients visits who had lost over 300 pounds, he came to understand that she put weight back on. For the next several years she would continue to gain and lose this weight. Upon investigation he found that she was sexually abused. During the night she would unconsciously eat. It was determined that this was her subconscience protecting her from possibilities of abuse.

TDW Connections

Content Area Connections

Content

Area

Nadine Burke Harris discusses the complications in learning that can arise from being exposed to stress levels and having a high ACE score. In our area the students are noticeably slower in English and Language Art programs as well as Mathematics. I believe this is due to the lack of education held by the parents as well as some of the adverse effects that could have came in to play as they grew up. In our progra, although it is Cosmetology, we offer one on one reading and explanations of processes, testing assitance and other opportunities to make sure these students are able to excell as others who may not struggle in these aspects of learning.

TDW Connection

Geographical Area Connections

Geographical

Area

The Deepest well talks about health concerns in children such as stunted growth rates and asthmas being linked to their ACE scores. In the town I grew up in there is a girl who was in a very abusive relationship. The father of her son often talked down to her, became verbally abusive and not long after became physically abusive. Several tiimes this girl claimed the abuse occured in front of their son who at the time was probably only about 3 years old. Her son is now about 6 and is experiencing breathing difficulties. She has taken him in and had tests run and come to determine that he has asthma. I can't help but wonder if this is due to the adverse experiences this young boy had encountered before his mother was able to get away from his abuse father.

TDW Connections

School Community Connections

School

Community

Looking at the public schools in our areas, you can see a trend in many of the students you come in contact with. Several of them are from lower income, non-affluent families due to the area in which we live in. I have personally experienced some students who tend to act out, ignore authority and distance themselves from other students. I have come to conclusion that this student imparticular comes from a very blended family that has several problems including drugs, troubles with the law, and possibly a hint of emotional neglect due to the large amount of children within the home. I do my best to accomodate their needs and make sure I am there as an ear to listen and a hand to help.