What puts a child "at risk" for having a learning problem?
A negative social environment can create a great deal of stress that decreases a child's ability to learn. Examples of environmental risk factors include: poverty, dysfunctional families, cultural and linguistic differences.
Medical or biological issues can also cause a child to be "at risk" for developing learning problems. Biological risk factors can include: infections, exposure to toxins, poor maternal nutrition, premature birth and low birth weight. Genetic disorders and chromosomal disorders are causes of "established risk".
Teachers who understand the psychological, social and educational factors related to a disability, and have information about biomedical causes and developmental consequences of a condition are more effective educators. Teachers who understand the causes of exceptionalies are more: tolerant; appreciative of the child's disability and confident in their educational planning. Teachers who have more knowledge, are better able to positively affect the education outcome of a child with an exceptionality.
Winzer, M (2008) Children with Exceptionalities in Canadian Classrooms. (8th edition). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall. pp 68-84
risk factors must be evaluated and balanced out with strengths
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ReplyDeleteIt is awful to think that some pregnant mothers don't think about the consequences of drinking, and taking drugs and what it can do to their unborn child.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if teens were educated in High School about the effects of alcohol and drugs on the developing fetus.
ReplyDeleteAs parents we should all be held accountable for providing the optimal growth potentials for our children. Social disapproval, continued education and understanding continues to be our best strategy for prevention of the long term consequences of risks to children in negative social environments. Our generation has alot to answer for when it comes to environmental pollutions and the effects it will have for generations to come. I wish I could travel into the future to see what history says about our legacy!! For now though our best strategy continues to be striving for the best understanding of the factors contributing to the risks, how to prevent them and how to best cope with children exposed to these risks.
ReplyDeleteIt is definitley important that the teachers are educated in the multitude of disorders and disabilities that some children today have to live with. Having exceptional children in the school system, as opposed to be institutionalized as they were when i was a child, gives them the normalcy and the education they are entitled to.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a better world if people realized that anything that is introduced into the body during a pregnancy can ultimately affect their unborn child.
Adding further to risk factors and children at risk are cultural and linguistic differences. Risk increases when educational programs have little or no relevence to a child's family culture. In fact misdiagnosis can occur if school personnel do not consider cultural and linguistic differences. Just as teachers may not understand students, minority students may not understand what is happening in the classroom. Teachers may see this as a lack of ability when in fact it is a lack of understanding. As teachers gain more knowledge, those culturally diverse students that also have an exceptionality will thrive.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am in agreement that mothers should remain cautious and informed in maintaining a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their baby during pregnancy, I believe that other factors shouldn't be overlooked. For instance, who, if you do drink, has not enjoyed a glass of wine or other alcohol on a romantic evening and then had some one on one time with that special person in your life? That encounter, could easily, and often can, be the occasion of conception. Does the fact that a man's sperm reproduces daily and could also contain elements of the substance he ingested, or the chemicals in the woman's bloodstream at the time be factors in this unborn child's health? Who knows. There is much unproven still in the world of science. Could this child, even with a mother who avoids any alcohol or other risky danger during her pregnacy, still face the chance of developmental delays caused on the night he/she was created? Nothing is certain, except that we need to keep on researching, informing and providing assistance to those wanting babies,having babies and for the children themselves to give them the best tools of success.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lee Ann......not only that, but what about the mans sperm? What if he is a heavy drinker or heavy drug user....why isn't any of the blame being put on him? I believe men should be held just as accountable for what he is contributing to the new life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lesley, it is definitely important for teachers and other school staff to know their students cultures and backgrounds, and undertsand what differences these students may have.
ReplyDeleteChildren of all socioeconomic levels are at-risk for poor nutrition. Some children are not provided with enough to eat because their families lack money to buy sufficient food. On the other hand some children have diets high in fat, sugar, and sodium that put them at risk for chronic illnesses; the premise that nutrition affects children's ability to learn is not new. Furthermore, many pregnant women are not realizing the importance of Iron and minerals needed for adequate prenatal health. It is a known fact that Iron deficient in infancy may cause a permanent loss of IQ later in life. Iron deficiency and anemia can lead to shortened attention span, irritability, fatigue, and difficulty with concentration. I remember reading an article that stated children who lack iron from infancy tend to do poorly poorly on vocabulary, reading, and other tests. In addition, low birth rate babies are at risk for acquiring problems with hearing, and learning problems resulting in a need for special education.
ReplyDelete*iron deficiency*
DeleteIf i was to of looked at these points while in highschool i wouldn't of cared now looking at it in an adults point of view i deffinetly agree and take more knowledge of things like this! When children are at school for the majoity of the time during the week the teachers should deffinetly be aware of chilrens backgrounds and differneces. If a child isn't getting the proper in take of food and the teacher is aware thats helping that student. The parent also has to emphasize things for the child to understand and protect their child.
ReplyDeleteI feel there is a lot of information available to people about the effects of alcohol and drugs on a developing fetus. I think that most people live with the attitude that this is put out there for other people, what I am doing will not harm my baby. Also, if the mother is depended on drugs she is not worried about that baby she is worried about her next fix. . I remember years ago visiting friends of my first husband, the women was very pregnant, smoking cigarette after cigarette, the package in front of her that day had a big warning stating, “smoking during pregnancy can harm the baby”. Her attitude was her first child was fine.
ReplyDeleteMany people in today's society simply do not care about what they do to themselves nor the children around them. It seems to me that they have a hard time giving up the "freedom" of destroying their own lives and continue to destroy others in the process. This is just an opinion after all. I just think that there is enough information available to people that certain risks are completely preventable.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wrap my mind around someone drinking when they are pregnant. That poor innocent baby may forever be affected by those drinks the mother "just had to have". I've heard it called a "hangover for life" when a child has fetal alcohol syndrome, and I couldn't agree more. With all the research that has been done and how much we know about fetal alcohol syndrome, I do not understand the selfish way some mothers think.
ReplyDeleteI have spoken to some friends who are mothers, and you would be surprised how many brush off drinking. I don't think I ever could unless I didn't know I was pregnant, but mothers, especially new ones, have so much information thrown at them. I cxould understand thew confusion by the conflicting messages.Though in the end this is no excuse when there s a child at risk, and it is only a miracle that keeps a child from developing FASD.I do agree their is not enough attention on the dad's part of the DNA and what he does beforehand that could affect the sperm.
ReplyDeleteI was really upset that my sister didn't try to quit smoking while she was pregnant.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to believe that so many doctors tell their patients that it is ok to have only a couple of drinks when in reality it is not proven how much or how little alcohal actually effects a unborn child.
ReplyDeleteIt is scary to think that children are put at ‘risk’ by environmental and/or biological factors and this is something that can and should be prevented. Information is out there and readily available to those who want know. Yet, how do you get someone to take the time to learn of the dangers, if they are not interested in acquiring that information?
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ReplyDeleteOk, so lets face it...it's ok to have a cpl drinks in moderation in our everyday lifestyle. But if you exceed your drinking limit, than in time it's just gonna eat away at your liver. So why do people think that it's ok to go ahead and have a few drinks while having a innocent unborn child in your stomach? Because your doctor said it was ok? Come on now, really it's just common sense to me. Eat healthly, stay physical and hope for the best!
ReplyDeleteI believe that it's ok to have a couple drinks in moderation in your daily lifestyle....but when you blow it out of perportion than the outcome could very well be liver failure. So then what makes it ok for a woman who is pregnant to have some drinks while she has a unborn child in her stomach?? Really it was common sense to me. Regardless of what doctor's tell you, just don't drink, pray for the best of health for your child and take care of you!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mary-lynn. I do not think any dr should be telling a patient that it is ok to drink while pregnant! I know many people who's dr's ok'd it!
ReplyDeleteI feel that women have the obligation, especially when aware they are pregnant, to make informed and educated choices to better enhance their unborn child's health. However, I strongly feel that unfortunately there are a lot of women who conceive children when they are dealing with addictions themselves, whether it is drugs or alcohol abuse.Usually these pregnancies are not planned. I do not like to judge others, however I can't help but question how we as a society could help these women. As a society we are quick to point the finger and shake our heads..we have not walked the path of addictions, and if we had, maybe we could have a little more compassion.The question is how do we help those women and get them to take responsibility for themselves and their unborn children? I do not agree with alcohol or drug abuse..pregnant or not.
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