Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Essays - Health, RTT, Medicine, Personal Life

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome On any given day in the United States... 10,657 babies are born. (US Census Bureau). Twenty of these babies are born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Twenty may seem as though it is not a lot, but when you compare it to the fact that this number is more than HIV positive, Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida and Down Syndrome combine it creates a whole new parameter. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a direct result of a woman's competed disregard for the fetus. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS, hereinafter), is a series of both mental and physical birth defects that can include, but are not limited to, mental retardation, deficiencies in growth, central nervous system dysfunction, behavioral maladjustments, and craniofacial abnormalities. It is common knowledge not to smoke or drink during pregnancy. Growth abnormalities can be significant and also includes all three of the following respects of growth: weight, length and head circumference. Most of the time the baby's growth abnormalities are so severe they need to be hospitalized because of obvious failure to survive. A baby with craniofacial abnormalities can be recognized by their eyes in that they are small with exaggerated inner epicanthic folds. (Health Visitor Nov. 1981) The bridge of the nose is normally poorly developed. The ears are often large and simple in form. (Midwives Chronicle and Nursing notes) At first, when the baby is delivered, the affected infant shows signs of alcohol withdrawal; with signs that are much similar to delirium tremens in adults. They are often anxious, have a weak grasp, poor hand-to-eye coordination and consistent difficulty in feeding and sucking. People can not blame the mother's for the most part though. It is a common ignorance among the health care providers. Most health care providers are untrained and unfamiliar with substance abuse issues among pregnant women. FAS is widely misdiagnosed and or under diagnosed. Only ten percent of medical schools require students to complete a course on the proper diagnosis of individuals with alcohol and other drug addictions. Many women do not receive proper pre-natal care, and a study performed by a National Center for Health Statistics found that doctors appear less likely to tell a pregnant black woman to quit drinking and or smoking than they would be to a white woman. (The New York Times, January 19, 1994) As mentioned above, a baby with FAS can suffer from many different birth abnormalities. These disabilities will indeed last a lifetime. There is no amount of alcohol found to be safe to consume during pregnancy. FAS is, however, 100% preventable when a woman abstains from alcohol. FAS is the leading known cause of mental retardation. Approximately, one out of 750 live birth are born each year with FAS. (The Journal of American Medical Association, 1991) Thirty to 40% of the mothers who drink "heavily" throughout pregnancy have the syndrome. FAS is not limited to any one group, race, culture, or socio-economic background. Between one-third and two-thirds of children in special education have been affected by alcohol in some way. (The Journal of American Medical Association, 1991) Comparison of children and adults with FAS shows that with the approach to adolescence, the specific craniofacial features are not as noticeable as they are in infancy. Average academic functioning of these children and adults does not seem to develop beyond early school grade level. The short stature and small head (micro cephalic), seem to be permanent. The most noticeable behavioral problems were found to be with comprehension, judgment, and attention skills, causing these adults born with FAS to experience major psychological and adjustment problems for the rest of their lives. Numerous studies with animals, of experimental alcoholism, where nutritional status has been well controlled, have shown that the damage to the developing fetus, such as low birth rate CNS ( Central Nervous System) impairment, etc. are caused by the direct consequence of the effects of alcohol. In addition, some of these studies have shown a clear continuum effect; the higher the blood alcohol of the mother, the greater the damage to the developing fetus. Even though the direct connection between alcohol intake and birth defects is now indisputable, there are other etiological factors associated with maternal drinking that must also be considered as contributing factors in an adverse pregnancy outcome. The most important of these secondary factors is alcohol related malnutrition, as nutritional deficiencies occur frequently with alcohol intake due to reduced appetite. Alcohol-induced zinc depletion is particularly well documented. This has shown a positive correlation with reduced zinc status and low birth weight and fetal malformations, suggesting that inadequate zinc

THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY essays

THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY essays Im a flake. Make plans with me at your own risk because Ill inevitably let you down. You can count on me arriving no less than fifteen minutes late to meet you but that is, of course, if I show up at all. I do this because I am inconsiderate and dont appreciate you or your time. If you count on me to be somewhere at a specific time, Ill fuck it up and ruin your whole day. You may think Im exaggerating for dramatic effect, but consider yourself sufficiently warned. All of this may sound hard for you to believe I know it shocked the hell out of me when I heard it. It never occurred to me that I had this reputation or that for the members of my family, it was a long and widely held belief. Not because it wasnt like them to talk behind my back after all, Ive been a member of the Gillis family for 27 years and know thats how we operate. No, I just thought I was boring and my life too uneventful to have cultivated an M.O. To be honest, I didnt think they had enough raw materials to work with. Sure, I spent the better part of my teenage years holed up in my bedroom listening to Nina Simone and Joy Division, venturing out only to eat and go to school, but was that so uncommon? Maybe, but since I had no friends at the time, how was I to know? Although I was deeply committed to my sullen, agoraphobic way of life, I eventually grew out of that phase and went on to make friends and have boyfriends, therefore established myself as more normal, whatever that means. I thought I was living under their radar, but looking back now, I shouldve known b etter. I am the second youngest child in a family of seven kids and like many large families; we Gilliss adhere to the rules and norms of our own particular hierarchal social structure. I realized pretty early on that in order to establish and maintain my position in our organization, I had to learn...

Stress in American Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stress in American Society - Essay Example They are simply mirroring their parents' struggle for cars, boats, and bigger houses. Still, there is little compassion for the overloaded 15 year old. Stress is expected. Time is money. Americans too readily sacrifice quality family time in an effort to generate the success they need to buy their family quality things. If America really wants to pay more than just intellectual homage and lip service to the concept of 'family first' then they must take a good hard look at their real system of values. The postmodern world of technology has made American teenagers the most stressed out and overloaded generation in history. Students are groomed for success in a competitive world with everything from school to extra-curricular activities, and "staying up all night to finish routine assignments, to agonizing over falling grades because jobs crowd out homework" (Shellenbarger1). When work takes priority over grades, it brings on an additional source of stress. A recent study reported that the number of hours a student works is directly related to their "emotional exhaustion and psychological strain" (de man, Harvey, Ward, and Benoit 248). These tensions are a reflection of the seventy percent of parents who don't have time for their children, and the untold children who don't have time for their parents. ... in a hectic schedule, peers into the future and predicts, "We're moving fast as it is, and you know our kids are going to be moving even faster" (Shellenbarger 2). These children naively look to jobs and technology to save them, as if the problem will also provide the solution (Shellenbarger2). One 16-year-old boy is already plotting his future, isolated from his family, where they respect him for his money and little else (Shellenbarger2). Other than being wealthy the teen doesn't know what he wants to be. These are the children that America is producing in its rush to compete and produce. These are the children that are bombarded by a pop culture that idolizes wealth and has disdain for the real and mundane. These are the children that are raised by a generation of parents where average is not an option and failure is for losers. The solution to this national madness will only be accepted when America takes an honest inventory of their needs, and makes a real commitment to 'family values'. There is plenty of support for altering our schedules, slowing down, and making a decision whether to keep the BMW or the family. High school students overwhelmingly want to spend more time with their children than their parents did (Shellenbarger3). Parents need to reassess their priorities and make more time and 'mental space' for their children. It requires more than simply being present, and may not involve a super-sacrifice of time. Parents need to provide "a variety of behaviours that the child values: for example, closeness, warmth and being ready to defend the child's interests" (Lewis 297). This is not merely quantity time, but is the quality time that has been a time-honored goal of all parents. Students and institutions need to make a realistic evaluation of what is

Future of Fashion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Future of Fashion - Essay Example The essay "Future of Fashion" concerns the fashion's future. The visual physical contact will determine to a large extent whether the costumer will like the product or not. The place therefore is very essential because it is where the actual sale occurs. The place of the retailing activity – the Store – has its evolution: from the retailer’s house, to a small stall without a roof on a busy street; to a structure with a roof in an open plaza or space, to a big store in a big building, to a shop inside a building with other smaller shops, and to a group of many big stores all housed under a large structure or venue. A store’s size may be small, medium or big. It may only have a table where the goods are placed for sale or it may have many merchandising elements like shelves, racks, booths, kiosks, counters, cashiers, aisles, promotional materials and sales people. The shop may be a simple room or an architectural building with interior design to make it attr active for customers to come inside the store. The store therefore performs many functions other than just the place of sale; it also serves as a promotional, advertising and marketing tool. It must attract people to come inside, look at the products and make a purchase. It must give customers a good feeling and pleasant experience for them to visit again and buy. With the hectic changes and very fast-paced improvement of technology however, the significance and effectiveness of the store is slowly being threatened to the point. where it may be relegated to performing a minor or useless role. That single technology challenging the role of the store as the forefront of the retailing business is the Computer-Internet tandem. With changes in technology come also changes in the psychological and mental attitudes of people. Human beings when exposed to the capabilities of gadgets and instruments become attracted to the benefits and amenities that technology brings and they soon begin to have a lifestyle revolving around such technology. These modern tools have brought them up close to and face to face with goods and services through the internet without having to enter a store. According to Campus Market Research, 91% of US college students are online everyday and 74% prefer to buy textbooks online (Sanchez 6). Products can be seen before the monitor of a computer with colors approximating their real value; the specifications of the product may be downloaded and known; and prices from different stores may be viewed and compared. The products can be ordered and paid with credit cards through the internet itself or executed with the support of electronic peripherals like a telephone, cell-phone or fax machine. Lastly, the buyer has the luxury and comfort of having the bought items delivered to his or her doorstep without ever having to step inside a single store! One may be led to think that the Internet may cause the complete obliteration or obsolescence of the stor e. As mentioned earlier, Traditional or Conventional Retailing is done through the Store (store-retailing). It is a real place where real goods are physically located. It is a place where consumers can go to look at the goods they need and possibly buy if they want them. They can see, smell and touch the actual product; they can make real time appreciation and evaluation of the product

Causal Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Causal Argument - Essay Example Causes of Pollution As noted by the US Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, pollution could be caused by either human or natural processes. In environmental pollution, air pollution has been commonly reported in industrial towns. Raven, Berg and Hassenzahl (12) categorize air pollutants into gaseous and particulate pollutants. These gaseous and particulate matters get released into the atmosphere through burning of fossil fuels including petroleum and coal. Such activities cause the release of both fine and coarse particles, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur compounds, radioactive substances and halogens. The main sources of this form of pollution are motor vehicles using either diesel or gasoline, rail roads, aircraft, agricultural burning and industrial processes among others (Awosanya, Sebiomo and Idiagi 612). According to Shafi (3), a combination of the effect of these processes results in the release of 91.0, 25.7, 30.2, 29.1 and 18.7 metric tons of carbon monoxide, particulate matte r, sulfur oxides, hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxides respectively. Pesticides have also been noted to cause a spread of ungraded ions in the air thus possibly contaminating the air. Metallurgical industries, petroleum refineries, fertilizer and chemical industries and pulp and paper mills have been noted to contribute greatly to air pollution. They produce gaseous emissions that pollute the air. Various solid and liquid wastes pollute water. Organic and mineral wastes and industrial by-products or effluents carried into water bodies cause pollution. Furthermore, pollutants emanating from agricultural fields containing phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers eventually reach water bodies. According to Shafi (4), these pollutants deoxygenate and intoxicate the water causing a lethal or sub-lethal reaction to the micro-organisms in the water. Examples of sources of water pollution include food processing industries such as canning, brewing, refineries and dairy industries, chemical plants, oil drilling wastes, blast furnace washing, rubber production factories and research laboratories among many others. Raven, Berg and Hassenzahl (405) also note that metallic wastes like zinc, lead, copper and mercury released as effluents or wastes from industries eventually reach water bodies. These not only deteriorate the quality of water but also get deposited in the bodies of the living organisms that consume the water. Additionally, sewage effluents, organic wastes and exudates promote the life of microbes that thrive on organic matter like algae, fungi, helminthes, bacteria and viruses. These are known to cause dangerous diseases in both the flora and fauna. Lastly, pollution of the soil could result from the insanitary habits of humans or disposal of semi-solid and solid wastes. The atmospheric fall-out also causes soil pollution. The current rapid urbanization has led to limited space in which solid wastes could be deposited (Shafi 6). The disposal of these wastes on land has led to toxic materials seeping deep into the soil which affects the course of ground water. Agricultural practice has seen pesticides, manures and fertilizers introduced to lad leading to chemical and biological contamination. Wastes containing micro organisms pollute soil and could cause these micro organisms to enter into the food chain and subsequently consumed by humans. Radiation could be

Teaching Creativity in Primary Schools

Teaching Creativity in Primary Schools Creativity Arts Primary â€Å"The philosophical foundation for teaching integrated arts in the primary school is based on the belief that aesthetic and creative education is the entitlement of every child and that the nature and quality of the provisions determines the distinctiveness of cultural life and academic performance in school.†(Bloomfield,2000,pg1). For this essay I am going to be talking about why teaching creativity in the arts in primary school is an essential part of children’s learning and what children gain from the lessons. I will be reflecting on my own learning experiences in this module as I feel this justifies why creative arts should be taught. I will be explaining how I can use what I have learnt, from this module, in school and talk about the creative lessons I have planned for in school. â€Å"Children’s natural enthusiasm for the arts, as major and valid sources of knowledge, is nurtured from the first day at school and their motivation and commitment is maintained throughout their primary years.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg1). Creative arts is an essential part of school life as it includes practical engagement of all children as they learn how to paint, compose music, write or to dance, and as they progress through the school year their knowledge of each art form deepens. When children discover social, cultural or historical aspects of the arts they are able to increase their knowledge of the topic by referring to books, articles, artefacts, CDs, recordings and videos. This also gives the children a deeper understanding of their work. (Bloomfield,2000). Creative arts also develop the use of children’s imagination, the way that they respond to their own life experiences and the way they express and communicate their ideas. This can also help their physical development which includes performing confidently, imaginably and good use of space for themselves and others while performing. (Moyles,2002). Creative arts also involves children with different learning needs, audio, visual and kinaesthetic. The lessons are designed to include all children and allow children to achieve their goals. Each creative area helps develop different skills for learning. I am going to talk about how drama, music and art can aid children’s learning in school. â€Å"Art and design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual tactile and sensory experiences and a unique way of understanding the world.†(DfEE,1999,pg116). Art artefacts can be found anywhere, all that is needed is imagination to use these artefacts effectively and this can then bring any classroom activity to life. All artefacts that are found can be used to teach the programmes of study in the National Curriculum. â€Å"Art is fashioned from world resources, and the natural environment has provided the stimulus for wide ranging art activities both as the stimulus for the design and in the way in which the properties of its material has determined the form of the art object†. (Bloomfield,2000,pg88). During art sessions children acquire a range of skills which include visual and manual skills, skills to use a wide range of materials and media and problem solving skills. These skills then enable children to formulate their ideas and use materials and artefacts to create their own artefacts in 2D and 3D form. The use of these skills enhance children’s practical knowledge of art making. Children become critically aware during art sessions. They are able to discuss and write about their experiences of art making and develop a metalanguage to discuss their experiences of visual art and design. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"Children build up their powers of discussion; they incorporate a vocabulary that has meaning for them from their own creative participation as well as in critical discussion.† (Moyles,2002,pg40). During a school topic where art is a key focus it is essential to present children’s work either in a portfolio or a class display as this allows the class to reflect on the work they have produced and the value of the process and allows children to comment constructively on each others work. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"Music is a powerful, unique form of communication that can change the way pupils feel, think and act. It brings together intellect and feeling and enables personal expression, reflection and emotional development.† (DfEE,1999,pg122). Music sessions in school provide vital skills for children to progress through their primary and secondary years. Music lessons enhance children’s listening skills. â€Å"Listening is fundamental both in forms of the sounds independently produced and also the collective responses of groups.† Music also enhances group work as it aids inclusion because children, whatever their background or aptitude, have the ability to express themselves successfully in the classroom. Mutual respect and self-discipline is acquired during these sessions as children develop good relationships with each other. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"Participation in music and its integration with other art forms provides a rich social environment for children. Performance and presentational work develops a close working relationship within the peer group.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg76). Music is also looked at as a form of communication. Many professional song writers write songs to deploy meaning and get messages out to the greater world. Musical understanding through singing songs helps children use their voices in an eloquent and effective manner. Children in school are encouraged to adapt music as a form of communication asmusic offers a unique mode of experience where children can receive and express ideas and feelings. This also encourages children to use descriptive language to describe why they have chosen a particular sound to represent their emotions mood or feelings. Music also develops children’s speech as children with musical training have a greater capability to process all sounds, including speech. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"ICT is a powerful and necessary tool for the children which both enhances and informs their music, whether as creators, performers, or as investigators.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg87). Children can use music to find out about the world. There are many links that can be made with music and the celebration of diversity. Children can be encouraged to make music CDs to share with different schools in different communities and countries. Music which the children relate to or which is related to the topic may create different feelings. These feelings can be compared within the group or between different schools. As with music there is no right or wrong answer and it would be interesting to see how other people interpret their ideas and this celebrates diversity. (Bloomfield,2000). When children have recorded their piece it is possible for them to use it as backing music to a performance associated with their topic, this then uses music to enhance and intensify the other creative arts. Drama can be split into two sections, drama and dance. â€Å"Dance education provides children with an artistic language of actions which, linked with their intellectual and physical growth, is transformed into a significant and meaningful mode of communication.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg46). Dance sessions gain children techniques in coordinating movements, inventing movements, remembering movements and then transferring the movements into a dance routine. During these sessions children are encouraged to use their whole body to do this. Dance can be linked to Literacy sessions as children are â€Å"using their bodies to express metaphors and symbols through the formulation and organisation of movement patterns that capture and convey meaning.† (Bloomfield,2000,pg 45). This is also a good way to introduce poetry to children, as they are comparing themselves to something different. Children may be encouraged to show how they are feeling as dance has a semantic structure which provides the basis of how children can think, feel and express ideas through movement. Drama and dance can be used to enhance descriptive work of characters the children are portraying. Drama links with literacy development and understanding as it enables children with the pronunciation of words and recitation from stories and poems. (Bloomfield,2000). Pie Corbett believes that children should story map to remember plots in their stories. This is to help them when they are reciting stories to the class. He believes that this way helps develop a child’s memory as they only need their own interpretation of a picture to tell a story. Dance and music linked together is a way for children to express their understanding of themselves and the world as they perceive it. This can encourage children to research different dances and music from different countries of the world. When children participate in these lessons they are including themselves in the coordination of the group. Once children have been given an initial stimulus they are in control of their group. This then develops their skills in working collectively and harmoniously together because a group who can not function this way will have no hope in producing a final piece of work. Drama can be linked with music as this can provide an effective atmosphere matching the mood for a production. Art can be used to create wall displays, props and set designs for a drama production. During this module I can honestly say I have felt lost at times. The reason for this was due to my own experiences that involved creative arts at school. During art lessons I was always under the impression that I could not draw. I would always feel embarrassed about my work. The art teacher gave me no confidence in the lessons. It was a case of turning up, doing the work and then be given no constructive feedback. I took this negativity into my first art seminar. I did not feel comfortable doing the tasks that were set but I carried on. I then had a very long discussion with Catherine about my finished products. She then told me that I was concentrating on the negatives factors of my art work and I should look closely at the positives. Even though I believe she was cross with my attitude towards art, she took the time to teach me a valuable lesson. This I will never forget and I can use effectively in my own art lesson. By making me see the positives in my work I was able to achieve more because I felt confident in what I was doing. I was praised effectively but not over praised as I would have thought she was patronising me. This is the correct attitude to have in the classroom whilst teaching. Children know when they have been given false or too much praise and then the praise is not effective. â€Å"Praise can alienate pupils because every response is being judged by the praise it receives.†(Cockburn,2006,pg105). During my time in school I have planned individual drama and music lessons. For the music lesson the class was split into three groups. Each group was given a number of instruments that made sounds related to Christmas. I gave each group a starting point and this was Christmas Eve, Christmas day morning and Christmas day afternoon. I asked each group to compile a composition relating to the starting point. The children knew that this was their first draft of a composition and they would have time to â€Å"practise, rehearse and perform† ,(DfEE,1999,pg126), as the teacher was going to use my idea in further music lessons. The children had to note the pattern of their music using symbols; this was going to make it easier for them to improve the composition. The children were left in control of their own compositions as I did not want any of my own personal input involved in their work. Children are far more creative and adventurous when they are left to their own devices and the y will learn more about their work. (Bloomfield,2000). â€Å"Tell me and I forget, show me and I may remember, let me do it and I will learn.†(DfEE,1999,pg90). It is important when using the creative arts that the children have an end product to show for their work. It was therefore essential that our group was able to show off our work on the ‘Railway lines through the snow’ painting. This gave us a sense of achievement and finalised all our hard work. As a group we all developed through the module especially our concert performance. I had to listen to my peers and they had to listen to me. We had to stay harmonised and focused otherwise the concert would have been a disaster. Each member of the group had different personal strengths and we had to use each others strengths to aid our concert performance. I developed all the skills that I have spoken about which children develop during creative arts sessions and I understand if we did not have these skills we would not progress, and achieve our end goal. â€Å"The creative arts permit individual children to conceptualise and understand their strength areas to compensate or overcome weakness in other areas. It also has the impact of motivating children, sustaining their interest and improving their self-esteem. It provides in-depth study and develops all round skills.†(Bloomfield,2000,pg108). Experience in the creative arts is therefore an essential part of a child’s learning. References Bloomfield. A. (2000). Teaching Integrated Arts in the Primary School. London:David Fulton Publishers. Cockburn A. Handscomb G. (2006). Teaching children 3-11, a students guide. 2nd ed. London: Paul Chapman Publishing. DfES., (1999). The National Curriculum. London:DfES Moyes, J. (2002). Beginning Teaching:Beginning Learning in Primary Education. Second edition. Buckingham: Open University. Palmer, S.(2003) Literacy: What works? London: Nelson Thornes.

Holding Parents Accountable for Their Childrens Behavior :: essays research papers

In the past, there have been many minors who have done numerous of acts in which they are punished in a reasonable manner. Just imagine if the parents of these children were put on trail instead of the minors. Why should a parent have to suffer the consequences for their child’s mistake, in which they probably had no idea what the child was doing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to The Beaufort Gazette in Beaufort, SC, â€Å"A couple in Boise, Idaho now faces criminal charges because their 10- and 12-year old sons sexually molested three of their younger siblings, starting when one of the children was just one month old.† The report goes on to say, â€Å"Prosecutors said one girl was just 2 years old when the abuse started in October 2002. The other girl was less than 8 months old. The sexual abuse of the boy allegedly began in December 2002, when he was just one month old.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to The Idaho Statesman Newspaper in Boise, Idaho, â€Å"The parents are being charged with four counts of felonies. The first three include the connection with the allegations of sexual abuse by the boys, and the fourth charge addresses allowing a child to walk on dirty floors, in which resulted in infected cuts on the child’s feet.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This sounds more like a child neglect case rather than a connection of a child molestation case. I am not defending the couple in any way, but I feel there is no proof of them knowing about such acts going on between their children. Therefore, it will be hard to prosecute the couple on the molestation charges unless there is some type of evidence that is not being presented or considered until the trail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There was a