Children. | Your Healthy Child

The Public Sex Offender Registry Harms Innocent Children

September 9, 2011 by admin 1 Comment

CITIZENS FOR CHANGE, AMERICA

http://www.cfcamerica.org

Not everyone who is on the Public Sex Offender Registry has Molested a child or Raped someone.

People deserve a second chance. Being on the registry gives NO SECOND CHANCE.

Join us on our website, become a member… LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD…

Rights don’t defend themselves. People have only those rights they are willing and able to unite to defend, with armed force if necessary. If you don’t defend others when their rights are violated, don’t expect anyone to defend yours , and those rights will be violated if they are not defended.
— Jon Roland, 1994

This petition started December 3, 2010

The National Public Sex Offender Registry, Sex Offender Registration Notification Act, (SORNA) and the Adam Walsh Act are counterproductive to the safety of men, women and children in society.

The Public Sex Offender Registry so stigmatizes all who are placed upon it that they cannot:

· Secure Employment

· Secure Housing

· Protect their innocent children from being traumatized by the stigma as well.

Placing the name, age, address, crime, place of employment and many pieces of information on a publicly accessible website creates a state of constant instability for the ex-offenders and their families. Many professionals have addressed this issue.1,2

EMPLOYMENT FOR EX-OFFENDERS

Employment is basically not an option as all job applications ask if the prospective employee has ever been convicted of a sex crime. Not only that, but employers do not want to wear the stigma of having an employee listed on the public shaming sex offender registry as working at their business. Employers fear loss of customers due to the stigma.

HOUSING FOR EX-OFFENDERS

Anyone who is on the public sex offender registry faces huge challenges when seeking to rent housing. Not only is there residency restrictions which make it almost impossible to find suitable housing in many cities but also many rental applications ask if a person is on the registry…once that is disclosed.. the applicant is denied.

EFFECTS OF THE PUBLIC SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY ON THE INNOCENT CHILDREN OF EX-OFFENDERS

The innocent children of ex-offenders suffer great amounts of pain and humiliation due to their parent being on the registry. The registration laws were created to protect children from being raped and molested. But in fact, the very registration laws created to protect children are the tools used by government and state law enforcement to rape and molest innocent children with their laws.

Children of ex-offenders have been found to not only be bullied, ostracized, ridiculed, humiliated, excluded and treated as lepers by fellow students and neighbors in their communities but also have suffered by having to live substandard lives economically due to the parent not being able to find employment or start their own businesses due to the stigma of being on the registry.

The innocent children of ex-offenders should not have to undergo all the stigma of their parent being on the registry. But they do. These laws have not been shown to protect anyone or make society safer in many studies but they have been proven to harm the innocent children of ex offenders who are seeking to begin a second chance after having paid their debt to society.

BIGGER GOVERNMENT AT TAX PAYER’S EXPENSE FOR LAWS WHICH ARE PROVEN TO BE NOT ONLY INEFFECTIVE AT PROTECTING SOCIETY BUT ALSO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR RECIDIVISM OF THE EX-OFFENDER

SORNA and the Adam Walsh Act seek to expand the Public Sex Offender Registry and all the attached laws and regulations. SORNA and the Adam Walsh Act seek to increase the number of support staff nationwide and have YOU the tax payers fund it. Even though many studies by professionals not only state the registry and residency restrictions do not make society safer, but also cost billions of dollars in tax payer money.

ALL WHO ARE ON THE REGISTRY ARE OPEN TARGETS FOR VIGILANTES, MANY HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED AND ASSAULTED FOR SIMPLY BEING ON THE REGISTRY

This information clearly shows being on the registry makes a person and their family a target for murder and assault. This includes the innocent family members of ex offenders.

MANY WHO ARE ON THE REGISTRY ARE BANNED BY LAW FROM PRACTICING THEIR RELIGION

As many churches have children who attend, as worshiping God is a Family setting…many persons on the public sex offender registry who seek to attend church are not permitted to do so by law. 6,7 Even though many of these people have never harmed or touched a child, they are banned from parks, churches and other places where children congregate.

EDUCATION, PROPER SENTENCING AND TREATMENT IS THE KEY

Educating society about how to protect themselves and their children from sexual abuse should be the very most important aspect when seeking to reduce the occurrence of sexual abuse. Teaching parents exactly Who is a danger to their children. Anyone whom they trust enough to leave alone anywhere with their child is the person who could molest them. Fathers, Step Fathers, Grand Parents, Brothers, Cousins, Uncles, Pastors, Priests, Youth Leaders, Teaches, Coaches, Music Instructors…the list is endless… Anyone who you leave your child alone with can be the one who molests them.

Proper Sentencing of those who are convicted of sexual crimes is another key to solving the sexual abuse problem in America..

Sex and Violence in the media

One other huge aspect, all the sex and violence in the media, game consoles, television, theaters, and yes, the internet has been shown to have a direct impact on behaviors.

IN SUMMARY:

The stigma associated with the public sex offender registry so disables the person who is on the registry as to prevent them from having the ability to secure employment, housing and being safe from being murdered by vigilantes. The children of ex-offenders are so traumatized by being labeled children of perverts so as to cause them to be branded as lepers by their peers.

Those who abuse others need to be dealt with by our Criminal Justice System. If the job of catching, trying and sentencing a person for their crime is done properly, there is no need for a public sex offender registry.

Dangerous people should not even be sent back out into society in the first place.

Releasing a person from prison then branding them as an outcast, a leper and heaping so many regulations and laws upon them that they are Setup to fail is not humane nor is it Justice. Not only ineffective and harmful to society, but also very expensive to tax payers.

The public shaming of ex-offenders needs to stop. The public sex offender registry needs to be abolished and outlawed nationally.

SHORT LINK TO THE PETITION
http://bit.ly/f7Z4MJ
Abolish the public humiliation of families in America. Sign the petition.

REFERENCES:

1. The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers speaks on the issues. SOURCE

2. Patty Wetterling Speaks on the Issues THE HARM IN SEX OFFENDER LAWS

3. Targets for Murder SOURCE, VIEW GRAPH CLICK HERE, Complete Article Click Here

4. Over 1000 studies - including a Surgeon General’s special report in 1972 and a National Institute of Mental Health report 10 years later – attest to a causal connection between media sex and violence and aggressive behavior in some children. SOURCE

5. A study of 1792 adolescents ages 12-17 showed that watching sex on TV influences teens to have sex. Basically, kids with higher exposure to sex on TV were almost twice as likely as kids with lower exposure to initiate sexual intercourse. - Study Conducted by RAND and published in the September 2004 issue of Pediatrics. SOURCE

6. Should Sex Offenders Be Barred from Church SOURCE

7. Banned from Church by Law: SOURCE

Filed Under: Child Health Services Tagged With: Children., Harms, Innocent, Offender, Public, Registry

Bad Breath In Children

September 6, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Bad breath is the popular name for the medical state known as halitosis. Various unusual things can cause halitosis – i.e. from not brushing your teeth to some medical situations. Bad breath in children is usually caused by lack of good or developed hygiene skills. This is great news, since fixing this is an easy one. Children should brush for two minutes. Some parents play a child’s favorite song or come up with another way to time two minutes, so it goes by fast. Periodontitis is an inflammation with subsequent destruction of the other tooth-supporting structures, namely the alveolar bone, periodontal ligament and cementum and subsequent loss of teeth. This condition mainly manifests in early middle age with severity increasing in the elderly.

Some halitosis in children is due to other underlying causes, and if there is anything at all unusual about the odor that is being noted, a visit to a physician or dentist may be in order. Some diseases cause an off-odor on the breath and when such a disease is involved, only treatment of the underlying problem will cure halitosis in children or anyone else. If there’s a small item stuck in your child’s nose, it will infect and lead to bad breath. To recognize this condition, the nose will have green discharge from one nostril; there the infections will make drainage from both sides of the nose. There are many different causes for toddler bad smell. Knowing whether your child has bad mouth odor is very simple, the bad pungent smell in the mouth constantly or occasionally is a perfect sign.

Knowing this, it is vitally important you approach your family dentist about your child’s halitosis, firstly to get an early start on the problem if it turns out to be an indication of a more serious health issue. That having been said, barring a serious medical condition, this condition is most usually the result of poor oral hygiene. Tonsilloliths are more likely to be present in teenagers and can become noticeable with bad breath and swallowing pain together with some foreign body feeling and, in certain cases, referred ear pain. Frequent bad breath in children, the rotten egg kind as opposed to sweet smelling bad breath in children, is probably caused by the same oral bacteria that cause halitosis in adults. Clean tooth surfaces after brushing are normally covered by a thin layer of glycoproteins from saliva called pellicle. Pellicle allows for the selective adherence of bacteria to the tooth surface.

A dry mouth can also happen as a result of breathing through the mouth while sleeping, which is a common problem amongst infants. If you think this cause fits your child, see if their breath problem is only in the morning. If your baby is mobile and into exploring, one cause of bad breath you need to consider is that your infant has lodged a foreign object into their nose, for instance a pea or a small part of a toy. Learning the methods to control bad breath is going to be somewhat more important to you than to others who do not seem to have any problem, if you currently suffer from it.

Filed Under: Child Health Services Tagged With: Breath, Children.

Recipes for Children with Food Allergies: Observations, Advice and Safety Tips

September 6, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Article by Kathleen Reale

Following are a few advantages of having to prepare recipes for children with food allergies. Its an excellent learning opportunity for you and your child.

Sweet Revenge: Just because your child suffers from food allergies does not mean that they have to forego sweets (although you might like them too!). Since gluten and other major food allergens do not naturally occur in fruit, desserts made from fresh fruit (eg, baked apples) are not only healthy, they are safe too!

Your Kids Will Love Vegetables: One of the positives of having a child who suffers from food allergies is that you can train their palates to love healthy foods like vegetables from day one. Many of us forget that our addiction to sweets and processed foods is a learned addiction, not a naturally occurring one.

Most vegetables are gluten-free and allergen-free. Feed them to your children early and often. Get creative and serve them with allergen free dips as a lunch box snack or healthy afternoon snack. Theyll seamlessly develop a love for vegetables without being forced.

Teach Your Kid to become an International Eater: Most often, a traditional American diet wont suit a child who suffers from food allergies, as they contain a lot of gluten, processed foods and the like.This is an excellent opportunity to teach your child to become an international eater. You can explore recipes for children with food allergies from Asian, African and Mexican cultures, for example. These cultures tend to have diets that are rich in rice, corn and other alternative grains like quinoa and amaranth. Vegan recipes are another option, as they tend to be free from dairy and animal products.

Recipes for Children with Food Allergies: Safety Tips. There is a lot of information and misinformation on whats safe when it comes to food allergies. Following are a few safety tips when preparing recipes for children with food allergies.

Ingredient Safety: Parents should be aware that when preparing recipes for children with food allergies, products that youd think would always contain the same ingredient can be different. To explain, the same ingredients manufactured in different parts of the country, or in other countries, may be different in composition. Product formulations also can change. So be aware of what youre using.

Label Safety: One of the most frustrating things for parents who prepare recipes for children with food allergies and celiac disease is that you cant totally trust whats on the label. A product labeled as gluten-free, for example, may indeed contain gluten. While the amounts fall below a certain level as to be practically” gluten-free, it can be just enough to harm a child.

Always Check Ingredients on Recipes: Family, friends, magazines, support groups and the internet are always an invaluable resource for parents who see recipes for children with food allergies and celiac disease. However, always keep in mind that each and every ingredient in a recipe must be scrutinized for allergies. A recipe that worked for a recipe-poster in an internet chat forum on childhood food allergies may not work for your child. As a parent your job is to conduct due-diligence on every recipe ingredient.

Recipes for children with food allergies are abundant. Your job as a parent is to find those that your child will like and look forward to eating.

Filed Under: Healthy Child Tagged With: Advice, Allergies, Children., Food, Observations, Recipes, Safety, Tips

Social Rhythm Therapy Helps Children With Bipolar Illness Cope

September 5, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Article by Julie Frey

Raising a kid with bipolar disorder is not an easy thing. It usually causes a great deal of angst, to the kid. But, it causes a great deal of angst and anxiousness for the rest of the family as well. Unfortunately, as of yet, a cure for bipolar does not exist. Therefore, it is incumbent on everyone in the family to learn to deal with the current state of affairs.

There are several good treatments for bipolar disorder. When an adult has this illness, it is pretty standard for the doctor to prescribe one or more types of medication. When treating children, however, you have less leeway. The physician has to be much more careful when prescribing medications for a child. The reason is that a child is still growing and developing. As a result, you want to be as sure as possible that any medications he is given will not adversely impact the development of his brain or body. Therefore, even when medicines are prescribed for children, they are usually prescribed in limited dosages. And, due to this limitation, they will not always have the same effect in a child as they would in a grownup.

Due to the exaggerated effects that drugs can often have on a child, many times, therapy is just as significant in the treatment of bipolar children as are drugs. One of the primary causes of anxiousness in a child suffering from bipolar is his inability to understand why he reacts to things in a certain way. To help him to understand, we use therapy – one of the best means available in helping us to understand why we do certain things and react in certain ways.

During the course of speaking with his therapist about his issues, the thought is that he will gradually come to gain an understanding of bipolar and the reasons why it is causing him to behave in a certain manner. It helps to alleviate his frustrations. And, this understanding and demystification of the disease helps to come to calm his reactions to the illness and to come to terms with it. In addition, therapy can provide him with the psychological tools to better control his reactions when with friends and family or when by himself.

Over the years, many forms of therapy have been developed to treat illnesses such as bipolar illness. And, one type of therapy that has shown great utility is one known as social rhythm therapy or treatment. It is a relatively recent type of therapy. And it shows great promise in its ability to treat bipolar disease. This treatment mainly concentrates on helping the child to establish and maintain daily habitual rhythms in their lives.

Specifically, what this means is that the child will be advised and encouraged to set up regular patterns for his daily activities. This includes activities such as sleeping, eating, exercising, homework – everything that he typically does during the course of a normal day. So, for instance, rather than going to bed at random times during the week, he is encouraged to go to bed, every day, at the same time.

So, likewise for each of the normal activities that he does day to day such as eating, school, and other activities – he sets a regular schedule and routine. An in establishing these regular patterns, he will find that the stresses that occur during the day have less impact on him.

Recognition of how effective a form of treatment such as social rhythm therapy can be is important. It emphasizes the fact that, to be most effective, bipolar has to be attacked in various ways and not simply by drugs. And, by incorporating this type of therapy into the overall treatment process, he will find it much easier living day to day.

Filed Under: Child Health Services Tagged With: Bipolar, Children., Cope, Helps, illness, Rhythm, Social, Therapy

The Importance Of Nutrition For Parents & Children

August 31, 2011 by admin 1 Comment

Article by Julian Hall

You may have heard of first time parents who frantically sterilise everyone and everything that comes within a 10 mile radius of their baby, only to find their bundle of joy trying to eat dirt in the garden. What is within the parents control is the nutrition of their children at home and the education on food which they will take with them to the outside world.

A parent’s role in their child’s nutrition begins much earlier than most think. First and foremost know that we are what we eat, so be mindful of who you choose to have children with on all levels. Most of us understand the effects of hereditary illness, but foods and pollutants that a parent carry can cause damage to their children.

Three months of preconception care should be observed by both parents, it has been said that the soul of a child is here three months prior to conception. To help fertility and general well being, alcohol, tobacco, pollutants and stress should be avoided and vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and exercise increased. If these practises, as well as prayer, mediation, reading or relaxation time (if you enjoy these things) can be established before the child is born, they will become a part of your life and something you can always do as a family. There are also herbs that can be taken by the mother before during and after pregnancy to help stabilise her hormones and therefore avoid pre natal depression or severe mood swings. For example, Raspberry leaf tea helps fertility in both parents and is helpful to the mother throughout the pregnancy from easing morning sickness to the waters breaking. (ALWAYS check that herbs and essential oils are safe for use during pregnancy.)

In the first 3 months of pregnancy, all of the Childs organs are formed, so the mother should very carefully modify their diet to help this crucial stage and continue thereafter. Remember, 9 months of poor eating could lead to years of suffering for your child. If you do decide to give up damaging foods, do so gradually to avoid illness or bad reactions. Meats are now packed with chemicals and steroids, cigarettes contain thousands of chemical, salt and sugar cause any health problems and the resulting self inflicted problems will reduce the nutrients passed to your child. These are definitely foods you should consider cutting out or reducing. Vegetarian or vegan diets are normally advisable, but as everyone is different, if this diet produces too many bad effects, change it accordingly.

Breastfeeding is recommended as it’s linked to intelligence due to high levels of essential fatty acids in the milk, which also contains antibodies, vitamins, minerals and pure water. But it is effected by the mother’s nutrition so feed both of you well. There is a strong link to childhood diabetes resulting from allergies to the protein in cow’s milk and also beef, which affects the pancreas. Breastfeeding mothers are advised by paediatricians to avoid drink cow’s milk and eating beef for this reason. Be cautious with soy milk also as it has been linked to cancer.

Don’t think child minders, nursery and school teachers are qualified to make health decisions for your children. You are responsible for your child’s health and never think you’re being a difficult parent if you specify what you want your child to eat or more importantly not eat. Find out what school dinners consist of and if you don’t agree with them, make packed lunches or request alternative meals be put on the menus (there’s no harm in asking).

Our parents had the excuse of little knowledge of good health while we were younger, this information age should be seen as a legacy in this respect and a chance to link back to our ancestors ways of health and living, 12yr old in ancient Tamare learnt degree level information with ease, our children can be fluent in their own anatomy and the effects of food on it.”

Is lack of time stopping you? By teaching your child good nutritional habits and the benefits of good food, they can be involved in their health and older or matured children can make their own pack lunches. If you can’t deciding what to make them, teach them enough and they can tell you what they want. Let them make up weird and wonderful recipes (details aren’t important) and help them make them. This will make their food interesting to them and your life easier. If you can initially feed them good foods that taste good, they will remember enjoying good foods and ask for them again. Most of our childhood memories of good foods were as punishments and bad foods were treats, reverse that mindset in our children, let them turn their noses up to fast foods and look forward to fresh fruit salad. Don’t allow the media to tell your children what to like, make them be proud of the ways you teach them to eat and live. Four out of seven days healthy eating initially will give great results initially.

Financial constraints are there because cheap foods are normally bad foods and high prices are put on health. However, once your children know what they like, find health food wholesalers, bulk prices are surprisingly reasonable saving you weekly shopping time and money.

Become your child health care practitioner. Pay attention to their urine colour, dark strong odoured urine signals more water, to flush the system and improve concentration and may indicate other more serious problems. If skin rashes appear and you suspect a certain food, remove it from their diet and see if it goes. If you notice your children get clingy or sluggish after large meals, they may have an over worked bowel, struggling to digest a back log of food. Let them snack on fresh fruit and vegetables; this will give them fibre to help unblock their system, vitamins, minerals and fresh water (especially if it’s organic). Sugar should always be avoided as it has no real use except to cause damage. Refined carbohydrates (white bread, flour, sugar, pasta etc) only give a quick burst of energy but aren’t filling so our children are eating too much. They have hardly any nutritional value and no fibre which all lead to obesity. Whole foods (wholegrain rice, raw fruit and vegetable, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, seaweeds etc) provide longer lasting energy, fibres, protein and essential oils which all build beautiful children with healthy organs and alert brains.

Consult nutrition consultants, homeopaths, herbalist and allergy testing centres before making and appointment with your GP, see the money as an investment for you to learn about your child’s health, pay attention and get them to explain everything. The more you learn, the more you can teach your children. They will become your doctors, as every good student surpasses their teacher, and we can create a healthier generation, who will enjoy nutritional freedom from common industrialized illnesses and diseases.

Filed Under: Child Health Services Tagged With: Children., Importance, Nutrition, Parents

INTERGENERATIONAL EXCHANGES: A STUDY OF ELDERLY AND THEIR MARRIED CHILDREN

August 30, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Dr. Anupam Bahri

The parent-child bond is a continuum of emotional support that lasts a life time of both, the parent and the offspring. This bipolar, linear interaction can vary in frequency, quality and type depending on the age, interests and needs of the two generations. During early childhood the relationship between parent and child is constant and largely unidirectional, because the children are highly dependent on their parents for support. During adolescence, this interaction declines in frequency and becomes more reciprocal as both generations tend to influence each other either through conflict or concordance. The relationship would most probably be characterized by conflict over values, beliefs and behavior (Alpert and Richardson, 1980). Then these very children eventually establish their own families and begin to experience interactions from the parental perspective the relationship with their own parents may decrease further in quantity and quality as new demands are placed on them. Finally as new demands enter midlife and parents grow old, interaction may increase especially if elderly parent becomes increasingly dependent on an adult child. In this situation the relationship once again becomes primarily linear, but in the opposite direction that is, from that of the adult children. More help is given to parents, especially with respect to healthcare. However, there may be a continuing socio-cultural and economic exchange developing in both directions, although whether the direction is parent to child or child to parent may depend on the socio- economic status of the two generations.

Within the family there are physical, emotional, economic and social resources that can be exchanged in a serial or reciprocal manner, depending on the need of the parent or child generation. Serial exchanges tend to be prevalent and generally represent a downward flow of assistance from the older generation to the younger generation because of a sense of responsibility and affection (Moore, 1966). Reciprocal exchange or a two way flow is most common among the central and oldest generations, especially among the middle class. Johnson and Bursk (1977) found that 93 per cent of the elderly in the study, who had adult children, were engaged in a reciprocal pattern of exchange.

This process of exchange usually involved services like babysitting, and/ or nursing the infants that is their grandchildren, counseling, shopping, household maintenance, gifts like money, clothes, appliances, and air or train tickets for visits or interaction in the form of face to face visits, telephone calls or letters (Hill, 1965; Synge et.al., 1981). The form and frequency of exchange varies greatly among families and is influenced by a number of social factors. These include residential propinquity, social class, children’s sex, their own race and ethnicity as well as that of the children, age of the middle and oldest generations and the degree of filial maturity (that is growing concern about parents in the middle years: Blenkner, 1965).The greater the extent to which elderly parents live in proximity to children, the greater the likelihood of visiting and exchanging goods or services.

Class differences in frequency and type of exchange have been found in many studies (Troll and Bengtson, 1979; Neugartan 1979; Lacy and Hendricks, 1980). Shanas (1967), in a study of family help patterns among approximately 25,000 people over 65 years of age in Britain, Denmark and the United States, found that members of every social class were engaged in reciprocal assistance. However, since size of family, living arrangements, family values and economic position varied by social class, the amount, form and frequency of mutual aid also varied. Studies have shown that working–class parents are more likely to exchange services; that the middle class is more likely to exhibit patterns of serial exchange from the oldest to youngest generations. This form of reciprocity is more common among the working class and there is more face to face interaction among the working class. Among them there is more telephoning and letter writing among the middle class because of greater social and geographical mobility.

A marked difference in gender reciprocation has also been observed in familial exchange relationships. Sons often perceived assisting older parents as an instrumental act resulting from an obligation to repay a past debt, whereas daughters, because of long-standing, expressive lineal mother daughter ties, perceived assistance as an expressive, act which they wanted to or needed to perform. As a result, sons generally provided more financial assistance and frequently took decisions about the care of the parents. Daughters almost always seemed to be the primary caregivers (Horowitz, 1981). This may also be because women are more likely to play the traditional nurturing role, because the mother-daughter relationship is strengthened during the adult years, especially after the daughter has become a mother and subsequent sharing has taken place for the care of the little ones( Fischer, 1981). Marshall et.al., (1982) found that daughters worry about parental health more so than do sons. Interestingly enough it is the health of the father which generates more concern and worry than that of mother.

From the perspective of elderly parents, it appears that they primarily offer financial assistance to sons and services to daughters. However, there are great interfamily variations, depending on class and on the individual interest of the parents. If they are still employed, younger grandparents may have neither the time for nor the interest in performing baby sitting or other care-giving service roles. As a result, they may replace this personal assistance with loans or gifts of money.

Another factor influencing the type and frequency of exchange and assistance is the sense of filial responsibility or experiencing filial maturity. This represents the extent to which adult children feel obligated to meet the basic needs of their ageing parents. While the family is an important source of aid and support for the elderly, the expectations of the parents and children as to what should be done may or may not coincide. The chronological age of the children may determine their desirability to assist or interact with their parents. Adult children with very old parents may also be retired and have their own economic and health concerns. Therefore, they may be less able or willing to assist their ageing parents and may tend to abdicate some of their filial responsibility to public or private social service agencies (Gelfand et.al., 1978).

From the perspective of the ageing parents, expectations for filial responsibility seem to be higher with increasing age among females and among the widowed or divorced, if they have few economic resources, if health fails and if their general level of morale or life satisfaction is low (Seelback, 1977, 1978; Seelback and Sauer, 1977). In short, the perception of filial responsibility may influence interaction patterns in later years, where expectations differ, family solidarity is weakened, overt conflict is visible and public or private social agencies may be required to fill the void for visiting, health and household services.

Most research has focused on the type and frequency of exchange between ageing parents and adult children. Quantity rather than quality has been the central concern. Johnson and Bursk (1977) and Johnson (1978) found that the quality of the relationship is influenced by the health, economic and housing situation of the elderly and by attitudes to their personal ageing experience. The level of the affect was higher when the parents were in good health and held positive feelings about their personal ageing process. They also noted that there was more quality interaction in the relationship when parents were socially active outside the extended family. The studies on old age in India are still in their infancy as most of the studies were conducted in the 1960s, or efforts were made to explore the problems of old people. Later, in the 1970s and 1980s social scientists focused attention on issues like the status and role of old people in rural or urban communities and their adjustment in old age. As per Indian studies Mishra (1987) in his study conducted on retired male government employees in Chandigarh found a direct link and a positive correlation between health conditions and their subsequent adjustment. Poor health often leads to the redefinition of the scope of their parental role. Poor health leads to more assistance from adult offspring and it also contributes significantly to negative self feeling.

In other studies conducted by Jamuna (1984, 1987, 1988,1989, 1990,1991), Jumna and Ramamurti (1984, 1989) and Asha and Subramaniam (1990) the problems of aging like adjustment patterns, role activities and acceptance besides husband-wife communication have been examined in detail. They found that as the aging process goes on, it brings in several changes for the individual in terms of role playing and adjustments to be made at various stages. It requires adjustments to changing relations of authority and difference, to changing health situations, inter-generational problems, relations between the spouses, as also economic, social and psychological problems, following ‘exit’ situations like death and bereavement. All these call for adjustment between the aging individual and other members of the family as well as the community. Taking a clue from the research studies conducted in the area and in order to fill the gap in the existing studies the researcher in the present study has attempted to focus on the quality of exchanges rather than quantity of exchange among the elderly parents and their married children in the form of intergenerational exchanges.

(i) To explore the extent of interpersonal exchanges between the elderly and their married children vis-à-vis personal, advisory and financial exchange.

(ii) To find out how far interpersonal exchanges influence the well-being of the elderly.

The locale of the study was Chandigarh; as amongst the states and union territories of India, Chandigarh had the highest growth rate of the aged and the city has been generally known as the retired men’s paradise.

Chandigarh was planned as an administrative capital city for the state of Punjab in 1951, and over time has emerged as one of the largest and most significant of the new cities in India. The first master plan was prepared in 1949 by the American firm of Mayer, Witlessly and Glass in association with brilliant young Architect Mathew Nowicki. However, Nowicki died in an air crash in 1950 while returning to the United States and the new city had its first setback. Albert Mayer was heart broken and refused to continue the initial plan, which was later on improved by Le-Corbusier.

Le-Corbusier considered the city plan as a biological phenomenon and according to him it has a brain, heart, lung and feet like a human being: it is on this analogy that the city of Chandigarh has been planned to the north lies the capital complex comprising of the Secretariat, High Court, Legislative Assembly which constitute the head, the city centre represents the heart which is located at the junction of two important arteries, that Madhya Marg (V2-station) and Janpath (V2-captial). The network of roads for vehicular traffic and footpaths for pedestrians constitutes the circulation system. The spacious parks and green belts which run through the city act as lungs. The Industrial Area to the East and Panjab university to the West represent the limbs, the former fulfilling the materialistic and the later the spiritual needs of the city.

The universe of the study was the aged who were residing together with their married children in Chandigarh. To identify this universe the Election Commissioner’s Office, located in sector 17, was approached. With the help of the Chairman, Election Commission, the researcher was able to prepare a sector-wise list of elderly voters who were residing with their married children. In all there were 11,826 such cases. Since the population of 60 plus elderly residing together with married children in Chandigarh was very high and they were not equally distributed in different sectors, therefore it was decided to follow a multistage sampling procedure.

]]>

To begin with, depending upon the strength of this population in all the 47 sectors (excluding the Colonies and Industrial Area Phase I and Phase II), the sectors were arranged in descending order. To know about the cutting off point which split the sectors into two equal halves, each having fifty per cent of the population, cumulative frequency was calculated, which came out to be 4, 24, 413 and then divided by two, to know about the mid point which was 2, 12, 206. The dividing point lies between sector 35 and 41 (see Annexure I). Twelve sectors were above the cutting off point and thirty five were below it. Two sector were randomly chosen with the help of random number table from the first half (sector 20 and 22) and three sectors from the second half (sector 42, 19 and 7). The list of households thus obtained and was considered the sampling frame from which random samples of households were proportionately selected; information was gathered from elderly parents and their married children with whom they were staying together in the selected households. In this way the researcher was able to select 198 households in 5 different sectors for which a sample of 343 elderly and 198 households in 5 different sectors for which a sample of 343 elderly and 198 children were interviewed. Sector-wise distribution of the elderly and their married children is given below.

Sectors

Total no. of Households

Elderly staying with their married children

Elderly selected

Married children selected

Households selected

165

270

160

265

255

470

240

435

170

275

T0tal

990

1715

343

198

The intergenerational exchange was studied by taking into consideration the type and extent of exchange which takes place among the elderly and their married children. Exchange variables were articulated into three parts-receiving, giving, both receiving and giving. Each part was studied from three dimensions called financial, personal and advisory. Financial receiving includes the payment of bills, essential needs, luxury items and received cash etc. Personal help includes the help in light and heavy house-keeping, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, running errands, fixing things around the house, aiding in transportation, help in illness, help in renovating house. In advisory help they received help in countering life’s problems, like running the home, and money or business matters. While giving financial help the researcher included the payment of bills, essential needs, luxury items and giving cash etc. Personally they helped with running errands, taking care of small children, especially when someone was ill and giving advice on life’s problems, running the home, bringing up the children, besides job oriented matters.

Well-being was measured along with two components- cognitive and affective.

(i) In the cognitive dimension the researcher asked questions like things were getting better with growing age, the dearest time of their lives, happier when they were younger, best years of their lives etc.

(ii) In affective measures such questions like ‘why most of the things you do are boring’ ‘feelings of monotonous’, ‘you feel old and tired’, ‘plan things for future’ etc.

To canvass the entire range of exchanges the researcher reviewed them from three levels personal, advisory and financial.

A separate table was made to measure the personal help among the elderly and their married children with the help of questions as mentioned earlier. The following table throws light on the forms of personal exchange between elderly and their married children.

Elderly usually prefer to receive help for personal care, every day chores and other ongoing needs from close family members. For example, aged parents who believe that their children would give assistance if the need arises have better psychological well being than those who are less certain about what their off spring’s response would be (Blieszner and Hamon; 1992). The following table will appraise the personal help given or received by both elderly parents and their married children.

Personal Help

Elderly

Married Children

Giving Help

27(7.9)

70(35.4)

Receiving Help

126(36.7)

15(7.6)

Both Giving And Receiving

190(55.4)

113(57.0)

Total

343(100)

198(100)

On the basis of analysis of the table it was found that 7.9 per cent of the elderly as compared to 35.4 per cent of married children were giving personal help. As against this 36.6 percent of elderly and only 7.6 per cent of married children were receiving help. In case of, however, both giving and receiving 55.4 per cent of elderly and 57 per cent children showed their personal interdependence on each other.

Interactions with the children buffer the affects of stressful events and situations, offer emotional sustenance and affirmation of one’s identity, yield needed assistance, help time being structured in meaningful ways, and provide continuity in important roles. Even those ways are very dependent on each other for personal care and assistance can reciprocate with affection, companionship and advice. The following table details the advisory help given by elderly and their married children.

Advisory help

Elderly

Married children

Giving help

100(29.2)

56(28.3)

Receiving help

98(28.6)

59(29.8)

Both giving and receiving

145(42.3)

83(41.9)

Total

343(100)

198(100)

From Table 3 it can be summarized that 29.2 per cent of the elderly and 28.3 per cent of married children were giving advisory help to each other. On the other hand 28.6 per cent of the elderly and 29.8 per cent of the married children were receiving help. It was, however, noticed that 42.3 per cent of the elderly as well as 41.9 per cent of the married children were both giving and receiving advisory help from each other. It again proved their interdependence.

The following table throws light on the forms of financial help between elderly and their married children.

Financial help

Elderly

Married children

Giving help

104(30.3)

56(28.3)

Receiving help

87(25.4)

59(29.8)

Both giving and receiving

152(44.3)

83(41.9)

Total

343(100)

198(100)

It was clear from the Table 4 that nearly 30.3 per cent of the elderly as compared to 28.3 per cent of married children were giving help. Against this 29.8 per cent of married children as compared to 25.4 per cent of elderly were receiving financial help. It was found that 41.9 per cent of elderly and 44.3 per cent of married children were both giving and receiving financial help from each other which showed their inter-dependence.

To ascertain if the elderly were considered as an asset or burden by their married children an overall analysis of financial, personal and advisory help was carried out. For this three categories were made-dependent, independent and interdependent. The following Table shows the extent to which the elderly were considered as asset or burden by married children as well as the level of their dependency on each other.

Interdependence Level

Elderly

Married Children

Dependent

104(30.3)

45(22.7)

Independent

77(22.5)

57(28.8)

Interdependent

162(47.2)

96(48.5)

Total

343(100)

198(100)

Table 5 shows that 30.3 per cent of elderly and 22.7 per cent of married children were dependent on each other. However 22.5 per cent of the elderly and 28.9 per cent of their married children were independent. As against these, 47.2 per cent of elderly and 48.5 per cent of the married children showed their interdependence on each other. So it is very clear that majority of elderly as well as married children are inter-dependent on each other.

–

Cognitive

Elderly

Married Children

Low

51 (14.8)

41 (20.7)

Medium

90 (26.2)

121 (61.1)

High

202 (59.0)

36 (18.2)

Affective

Low

121 (35.4)

26 (12.9)

Medium

137 (39.7)

42 (21.2)

High

85 (24.9)

130 (65.9)

Over all well- Being

Low

86 (25.1)

34 (17.2)

Medium

114 (33.2)

83 (41.9)

High

143 (41.7)

81 (40.9)

Total

343 (100)

198 (100)

The Table 6 depicts that the elderly were comparatively more capable of enjoying well being in life than their married children. Elderly were having medium affective well- being whereas married children were high on affective well-being. Analysis indicate that both are high on well being scale whereas married children were little more on the medium side. It may be due to new challenges and problems in the life of the of younger generation.

Overall picture that emerges from these concludes that the majority of elderly parents as well as their married children were both giving and receiving financial, personal and advisory help from each other. However, the giving and receiving of help is not on equal footing in each category. Who-so-ever is strong is giving and the other is receiving help. This shows the cordial relations of the family.

To know the effect of the overall interdependence level on the well-being of the aged, cross tabulation was made and to check the accuracy of the Table the test of Lambda was applied.

Cognitive Personal help

Low

Medium

High

Total

Giving

26(50.9)

(96.3)

1(3.7)

(1.1)

27(100)

Receiving

7(5.6)

(1.4)

86(68.3)

(95.6)

33(26.2)

(16.3)

126(100)

Both giving and receiving help

18(9.5)

(35.3)

3(1.6)

(3.3)

169(88.9)

(83.7)

190(100.)

Total

(100)

200

(100)

343

Lambda-

It is clear from Table 7 that a large majority of the elderly who were both giving and receiving personal help were high on their cognitive well-being level. The elderly who were receiving personal help were having medium cognitive well-being. On the other hand, the elderly who were giving personal help had low cognitive well-being. The analysis of the Table from the row side envisages the same results. The value of the lambda came out to be 0.6 which showed very high association between cognitive well-being and personal help.

Cognitive Advisory help

Low

Medium

High

Total

Giving

46(46.0)

(90.2)

3(3.0)

(3.3)

51(51.0)

(25.2)

100(100)

Receiving

1(1.0)

(1.9)

87(88.8)

(96.7)

10(10.2)

(4.9)

98(100)

Both giving and receiving

4(2.8)

(7.8)

141(97.2)

(69.8)

145(100)

Total

51(100)

(100)

202

(100)

343

Lambda-

Table 8 shows that the majority of the elderly (96.7) with medium well-being level were receiving advisory help as compared to the elderly (90.2) with low well-being level who were giving advisory help. More than half of the elderly (69.8) who were both giving and receiving advisory help from their married children were high on their cognitive well-being. The row side of the table shows the same results. Lambda value came out to be 0.06 which showed a very high association between cognitive well-being and advisory exchange

Cognitive Financial help

Low

Medium

High

Total

Giving

49(47.1)

96.1)

19(18.3)

(21.1)

36(34.6)

(17.8)

104(100)

Receiving

2(2.3)

(3.9)

69(79.3)

(76.7)

16(18.4)

(7.9)

87(100.)

Both giving and receiving

2(1.3)

(2.2)

150(98.7)

(74.3)

152(100.0)

Total

(100)

202

(100)

343

Lambda-

Table 9 exhibits that the majority of the elderly who were both giving and receiving financial help were high on cognitive well-being. More than half of the elderly who were receiving financial help were having medium levels of cognitive well-being as compared to those elderly (less than half) who were giving financial help were low on their well-being level. The analysis of the table from row side shows the same results. Lambda was applied to check the association, its value came out to be 0.5 which shows a high association with each other. Thus it can be concluded that cognitive well-being is directly related with the financial help extended by the elderly.

Affective Personal help

Low

Medium

High

Total

Giving

25(92.6)

(20.7)

1(3.7)

(0.7)

1(3.7)

(0.7)

27(100)

Receiving

69(64.3)

(66.9)

49(27.8)

(41.2)

8(7.9)

(7.3)

126(100)

Both giving and receiving

27(7.9)

(66.9)

35(25.8)

57.6)

128(66.3)

(92.0)

190(100)

Total

121 (100)

85 (100)

137 (100)

343

Lambda-

The above table shows that majority of the elderly (92.0) with high affective well-being were both giving and receiving personal help from their married children. The elderly (66.9) with low affective well-being were receiving personal help. The analysis of the table from row side shows that elderly (92.6) who were giving personal help were low on their affective well-being level as compared with the elderly (66.3) who were both giving and receiving personal help and were high on their affective well-being level. The calculated value of lambda came out to be 0.4 which shows high association between affective well-being and personal help among the elderly parents and their married children.

Affective Advisory Help

Low

Medium

High

Total

Giving

80(80.0)

(66.1)

5(5.0)

(5.9)

15(15.0)

(10.4)

100(100)

Receiving

19(19.4)

(15.7)

72(73.5)

(84.7)

7(7.1)

(5.1)

98(100)

Both giving and receiving

22(15.2)

(18.2)

8(5.5)

(9.4)

11579.3)

(83.9)

145(100)

Total

121(100)

85(100)

137(100)

343

Lambda

Table 11 shows that majority of the elderly with high affective well-being were both giving and receiving advisory help from their married children. Elderly with low affective well-being were giving advisory help as compared with the elderly with medium well-being who were receiving advisory help. Analysis of the table from row side concludes the same results. The value of lambda came out to be 0.6 which showed very high association between affective well-being and advisory help.

Affective Financial help

Low

Medium

High

Total

Giving

99(95.2)

(81.8)

2(1.9)

(2.4)

3(2.9)

(2.2)

104(100)

Receiving

17(19.5)

14.0)

65(74.7)

(76.5)

5(5.7)

3.6)

87(100)

Both giving and receiving

5(3.3)

(4.2)

18(11.8)

21.0)

129(84.9)

(94.2)

152(100)

Total

121

137

343

Lambda

Table 12 shows that a large majority of the elderly (94.2) with high effective well-being were both giving and receiving financial help from their married children. The elderly (81.8) with low well-being were giving financial help and the elderly (76.5) with medium well-being were receiving financial help. The row side of the table envisages the same results. The calculated value of lambda was 0.7 which shows high association between affective well-being and financial help.

Cognitive

Overall

interdependence

Low

Medium

High

Total

Dependent

40(38.5)

(78.5)

30(28.8)

(33.3)

34(32.7)

(16.8)

104(100)

Independent

9(11.7)

(17.6)

55(7145)

(61.1)

13(16.9)

(6.4)

77(100)

Interdependent

2(1.2)

(3.9)

5(3.1)

(5.6)

155(95.7)

(76.7)

162(100)

Total

51(100)

90(100)

202 (100)

343

Lambda

It is clear from Table 13 that the majority of the elderly who were interdependent (95.7) were high on their cognitive well-being level in comparison with those who were dependent (38.5). Those who were independent (71.4) have medium well-being levels. if we analysis the table from column side it was envisaged that those who were low on their cognitive well-being level were dependent on their children (78.5) and more than half of those who were high on their cognitive well-being level were interdependent on their married children. Lambda was applied to check the association between cognitive well-being and overall interdependence level of elderly parents with their married children. The calculated value of lambda came out to be 0.4 which showed a high association with each other. Thus, it can be concluded that the cognitive well-being had been directly related with overall interdependence of levels of the elderly.

Affective

Overall

Interdependence

Low

Medium

High

Total

Dependent

99(9.2)

(81.8)

4(3.8)

(4.7)

1(1.0)

(1.0)

104(100.0))

Independent

13(16.9)

(10.7)

57(74)

(67.1)

67(9.1)

(5.1)

77(100.0)

Interdependent

9(5.6)

(7.4)

24(14.8)

(28.2)

129(79.6)

(94.2)

162(100.0)

Total

121(100.O)

85(100.0)

137(100.0)

343(100.0)

Lambda-

Table 14 denoted that a majority of the elderly (94.2%) who were high on their affective well-being were interdependent. Three-fourths of the elderly who were low on their affective well-being were dependent. While analyzing table from row side, it was seen that a majority of elderly who were dependent were low on their affective well-being level. On the other side more than half of the elderly with high affective well-being were interdependent. Test of Lambda was applied to check the association between them. The value of lambda came out to be 0.6 which showed high association among them. Thus, it can be concluded that affective well being is directly related with overall interdependent level.

Overall Well-Being

Overall

Interdependence

Low

Medium

High

Total

Dependent

70(67.3)

(81.0)

29(27.9)

(4.7)

5(4.8)

(3.5)

104(100)

Independent

7(9.1)

(8.0)

70(90.9)

(61.4)

0(0)

(0)

77(100)

Interdependent

9(5.6)

(10.5)

15(9.3)

(13.2)

138(85.2)

(96.5)

162

Total

86(100)

114(100)

143(100)

343

Lambda-

Table 15 envisaged that a majority of the elderly(96.5) with high overall well-being were interdependent and three-fourths of the of elderly with low well-being levels were dependent upon their married children. More than half (61.4) with medium well-being were independent. On the other hand if we analyses the table from the row side it reveals that a majority of the elderly who were independent were have medium levels of well-being. More than three-fourths of the elderly (85.2) who were interdependent were high on their well-being levels and more than half of the elderly (67.3) who were dependent were low on their well-being levels. Test of lambda was applied, and value of it came out to be 0.4 which showed a high association between overall well being and overall interdependence levels. Thus, it can be summarized that overall well-being do have impact on the interdependence level of the elderly.

The basis of exchange between elderly parents and their married children changes throughout the life cycle, depending on each side’s circumstances. As far as the present context is concerned, this patterns of exchange focus on the principle of reciprocity which operates among them and its effect on their levels of well-being. The reciprocity operates in a direct manner, where the givers are also the receivers within the same relationship. Majority of the elderly and their married children were interdependent on financial, personal and advisory help which means both were giving as well as receiving help from each other. A small number of elderly were independent and they were only helping the children and getting nothing in return. Similarly a small number of elderly were totally dependent on the children and they were only the recipients of help but not giving anything in return. The majority of the elderly who gave financial help to the children were receiving personal help from them and the elderly who received financial help were giving personal help to the children if their health permitted. The advisory help to each other was based on who was more intelligent and had better state of mind to offer help. The elderly who were financially well off were however found to be enjoying better well-being. Finally it was found that the elderly who had reciprocal relationship with their married children were enjoying high levels of well-being than those who were independent or dependent.

Filed Under: Child Health Services Tagged With: Children., ELDERLY, EXCHANGES, INTERGENERATIONAL, MARRIED, STUDY, Their

Cautions About Chicken Pox in Children

August 27, 2011 by admin 1 Comment

Chicken pox is a serious and highly contagious disease that can occur in children and adults. Although there is a vaccine available, chickenpox still sometimes occurs in vaccinated persons. Here is some information about the causes, symptoms and treatments of chicken pox.

With Chicken Pox there are red spots and blisters, and an itchy rash all over the child’s body. This usually causes the discomfort during this process. The chickenpox vaccine helps prevent them, although it is still possible to get the chickenpox after getting it. A person usually only gets the chickenpox once in their life. It usually isn’t too serious in persons with good immune systems. It can be more threatening in sicker individuals or persons with chronic illnesses.

Causes of Chicken Pox
The varicella-zoster virus is what causes chickenpox. A highly contagious disease, it is easily spread in a number of ways. One can spread the illness by coughing, sneezing, sharing your meal or drink, and by touching fluid excreted out of a chickenpox blister. The easiest time to spread chickenpox is two to three days before it appears on the skin until the pox have all scabbed up.

]]>

Symptoms
There are many symptoms associated with the chickenpox. The first couple noticeable symptoms are fever, sore throat, and a headache. Also, your child might be very tired or may not eat as much, they may have a stomachache or it might seem as though they just have a normal cold. Sometimes chickenpox occurs without any symptoms at all. After all of the blisters have scabbed over it is safe for you child to go back to school. This usually takes about 10 days.

Treatment
Most chickenpox treatment is done at home. For healthy people this would include: taking baths in oatmeal to lessen itching, a lot of resting, and taking medicine prescribed by a doctor. For unhealthy people they would need immunoglobulin treatment or antiviral medications. The chickenpox can be harsh on pregnant women. If there are other children in the house it is more than likely they will contract the virus too because of close contact. Try and keep other children and adults as far away from the sick person as possible to reduce likelihood of contracting the illness.

You can prevent the chicken pox by getting the vaccine while you are a child. It is recommended that you get two doses. In rare cases after getting the vaccine some have still gotten the chicken pox, and some have gotten it twice. Exposing your children to chicken pox is not the ideal thing to do. Some parents have exposed their child to it when they were younger because they have been told it is safer to get as a child, but this is not always true. Chickenpox in younger children has been linked to many other serious problems.

Filed Under: Child Health Services Tagged With: About, Cautions, Chicken, Children.

Prevalence Of Stress Among School Children In Kerala

August 26, 2011 by admin 1 Comment

INTRODUCTION

Stress is defined as the adverse relation of the people to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them (Jone Parry, 2005).

It is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize” (Sofronoff. Dr, 2005).

That is when environmental demands strain an organism’s adaptive capacity it results in both psychological as well as biological changes that could place a person at risk for illness (Cohen, 1995). Stress occurs when pressure exceeds his or her perceived ability to cope. (Centre for stress management, 2003).

Things that cause us stress are called stressors (Rubin.et.al, 1993).Internal sources of stress include hunger; pain; sensitivity to noise, temperature change, and crowding (social density); fatigue; and over- or under-stimulation from one’s immediate physical environment. External stressors include separation from family, change in family composition, exposure to arguing and interpersonal conflict, exposure to violence, experiencing the aggression of others (bullying), loss of important personal property or a pet, exposure to excessive expectations for accomplishment, “hurrying,” and disorganization in one’s daily life events (Bullock, 2002). Children are affected by stress, just as are adults, but the mechanisms of the effects are not necessarily the same. Theorists believe that children’s behavior represent their struggles to manage and react to stressful events (Kochenderfer.et.al, 2002).

A certain amount of stress is normal and not always bad. Sometimes stress can push a child on to greater achievement. Unfortunately, children are becoming highly stressed at younger and younger ages today. Stress varies from child to child, and how much stress one can easily handle varies, too. (Youngs, 1995).

Problems begin when ordinary stress becomes too much stress or distress that results in both psychological and biological changes that could place a person at a risk for illness. Today stress levels among children have been going up dangerously due to the pressure of their academic or cultural activities. Not all children can cope with such high levels of expectation and parents do not seem to realize or accept that their children are under severe pressure,” says Elizabeth Vadakkekkara, child psychologist and the director of Thrani (The Hindu, 2003).

Some studies, especially in Sweden, indicate that psychosomatic symptoms are common in children with stress, the most frequent being: tiredness, stomach ache, headache, and psychological problems that can be triggered by different day to day situations in the child’s life, like school demands and administration of time for homework (Brobeck.et.al, 2007).

Stress is most often seen as an overt physical reaction: crying, sweating palms, running away, aggressive or defensive outbursts, rocking and self-comforting behaviours, headaches and stomach aches, nervous fine motor behaviours (e.g., hair twirling or pulling, chewing and sucking, biting of skin and fingernails), toileting accidents, and sleep disturbances (Stansbury,et.al,2000). Experts point out that children may react globally through depression and avoidance; excessive shyness; hyper-vigilance; excessive worrying; “freezing up” in social situations; seemingly obsessive interest in objects, routines, food, and persistent concern about “what comes next”; and excessive clinging (Dacey, 2000) in this content the present study was undertaken to study about stress in school children in Kerala.

To understand the prevalence of stress and stress levels in school children of Kerala.

This is a school based study evaluating children of all grades from L.K.G to XII, in order to cover all age groups from 4-17 years. Subjects were taken from seven identified schools from the capital city of Kerala, the southern state of India. Trivandrum district was specifically selected with an assumption that being the capital of the state the cosmopolitan population of the district will give a representative cross section of the school children of the whole state.

School children between age of 4 and 17, were screened from seven schools of Trivandrum district through purposive random sampling giving due representation to government and private management and to the syllabi (state and central) followed in the schools. Two divisions randomly selected from each class of the identified schools were screened to get a sample of 30 children with stress from each age group giving equal representation to boys and girls. Thus a total of 667 students were screened to get the desired sample. A standardized stress assessment scale was used to collect the data from the sample. As locally suitable relevant scales for assessing stress in children of different age were not available an appropriate scale using standard procedure was developed after review of literature and in consultation with experts suitable for different children of 4-17 years. The three point scale gives the total stress score based on which the levels of stress in children are divided into low, medium and high. The split-half reliability coefficients were calculated for the different components of the whole test after correction, using Spearman-Brown Prophecy Formula (Garret, 1969). The reliability coefficient of the Stress Assessment Scale was found to be 0.99 for all the three scales.

The data collected was analysed statistically to understand the prevalence of stress among children and also to find out the variation in stress based on age, and gender.

The results obtained are discussed below.

The results indicate that 93 to 100% of the children aged 4 to 17 years showed medium to moderate stress while 1.9% severe stress. Only 1.79% came under normal group. This suggests that in every age more than 90% of the school children of the state are facing above normal levels of stress and tension. This can be in any area of their life either in family or in their school and the causes can be many. This result agree with the observations made by many psychologists, doctors and counsellors that most of the children of today are facing severe stress which they find very hard to cope up with. Many of the psychosomatic problems and suicides commonly seen in our children are found to be the results of this stress

The study further reveals that the stress rate is high at the age of 4, 7, 8, 12, 13 and 15, (100%). Also more than 97% of the children above 10 years showed above average stress. More number of children with severe stress was observed at the age of 14 whereas the majority of the children between 13 to15 showed moderate or severe level of stress than any other age groups.

]]>

Similar results were obtained in a study done in Brazil by C. R. Sbaraini and L. B. Schermann (2007). According to the study, of the total sample of 883 children studied, 27.2% of children over 10 years and 18.2% of 14 year old children showed a significantly higher prevalence of stress (Sbaraini.et.al, 2007). In a study on specific stressors in children by Danielle. Brooks, it was shown that of the 23 children studied between the age group of 8-12, 6 boys and 7 girls showed stress related symptoms.

In order to find out whether age or sex has any influence on stress further comparisons were made .

The results reveal that when boys and girls are compared, majority of girls were found to have more stress than boys . Severe stress was seen in both genders between the ages of 12 – 16. 100% of children, both boys and girls, in the age of 4, 7, 12, 13, and 15 showed stress. Of the total number of boys rated (339), 331(97.6%) of them showed stress above average. Similarly of the total number of girls studied (328), 324(98.8%) of them showed stress. The study points out that there is gender and age variation in stress levels of children. Statistical analysis (t test) was further carried out to see whether variations shown between the stress in boys and girls and also between different age groups are significant statistically.

From the table it can also be observed that though girls in general show more stress than boys in majority of the groups, the variation is not very significant .except at the age of 14, where it is statistically significant at 1% level (t-3.27%).

The table also reveals that out of the total number of stressed girls maximum numbers of stressed girls (66.7%) are found to be at the age of 14 and minimum number of stressed girls (59.2%) at 10 years of age. Analysis revealed that there is significant difference at 0.01 level between boys and girls at the age of 14. Though there is no significant statistical difference between boys and girls in other age groups, the variation is noted in all age groups with girls suffering more than boys.

The study suggests that girls tend to face more stress at their preadolescent and adolescent stage .Many of them may be at the beginning of puberty, which normally occurs earlier than boys. During this phase, many physiological and emotional changes begin to occur that can generate stress. This could be one of the reasons for the increased stress seen among girls at this age than boys.

According to a study by Danielle Brooke, although the types of stressors experienced by school-age children are similar between the sexes, there are differences in how males and females assess their stressors. More girls (41.2%) than boys (16.2%) in his study rated their stressor as “it upset me a lot.” Similarly, in another study females were found to rate 14 or 20 stressors more than males (Lewis, et.al, 1984). The female children in Sharrer and Ryan-Wenger’s study (Sharrer, et.al, 2002) were found to describe significantly more symptoms at an average of 2.8, compared to 1.8 for the males. Research has shown that women are more likely to report symptoms and seek healthcare than men (Centre for disease and prevention, 2005).

In another study, done between 1987 and 1999, it was revealed that levels of psychological distress increased from 19% to 33% in girls, compared to an increase from 13% to 15% in boys. Stress was found to be more in girls from middle-class backgrounds. Worries about schoolwork, relationships, weight and looks increased notably in adolescent girls. The combination of educational stressors together with those associated with achieving and maintaining a feminine identity (weight, body shape etc) affected the mental health of females more.”(Sarah-Kate, 2003).The study also indicated that academic achievement is identified as a new pressure in 15-year- old girls. In Kerala girls now days out-perform boys in almost every school subject indicating that they are likely to face educational stress.

Another study was reported in the journal ‘Paediatrics’ which examined correlation of stress fractures in pre-adolescent and adolescent girls (Keith, et.al, 2004). Stress fractures can be defined as skeletal defects that result from the repeated application of stress lower than that required to fracture a bone in a single loading (Martin, et.al, 1987). According to the study approximately 2.7% of the girls had a history of stress fracture, where 3% of then were engaged in disordered eating (using fasting, diet pills, laxatives, or vomiting to control weight), while 16% participated in more than 16 hours per week of moderate to vigorous activity. This could be one of the reasons for more stress in the pre-teen girls in this study too.

According to Sax, Leonard (Sharrer, et.al, 2002), There are NO differences in what girls and boys CAN learn. But there are BIG differences in the best ways to teach them.” A study on stress management, explains that students, who have developed a proper attitude to learning, and good learning techniques and habits, should not have to worry about stress. Stress is essential for effective study and memory, but it is the excess stress – anxiety, worry, fear of failure etc. – which creates a level of stress high enough to cause loss of memory and memory blocks in examinations. This is what students fear, that they will not remember what they have learned. Of course, if they haven’t learned the work in first place, stress or no stress will make no difference .

A study reported to determine the prevalence rates and severity of depression, anxiety and stress among Saudi adolescent boys indicated that of 1723 male students studied, 59.4% had at least one of the three disorders, 40.7% had at least two and 22.6% had all the three disorders. Moreover, more than one third of the participants (38.2%) had depression, while 48.9% had anxiety and 35.5% had stress. Depression, anxiety and stress were strongly, positively, and significantly correlated (

Girls and boys experience distinctly different patterns of stress during adolescence that may leave girls more vulnerable to depression, according to research on stress patterns in adolescence boys and girls (www.cfah.org). It is reported that while adolescent girls and boys experience similar levels of stress, adolescent girls are more likely to experience stress in their relations with parents and friends, whereas adolescent boys’ stress is more likely to emerge from trouble in school or other factors outside their relationships with others. Girls and boys experienced about the same levels of stress, which tended to increase with age. Girls may be particularly prone to depression during adolescence. They may experience higher levels of the types of stress associated with depression and may be more reactive to these types of stress than boys.

The study in general points out that majority of the children studied have pressure of one thing or another that leads to mild or moderate level of stress in them. The study results emphasise the fact that contradictory to the common belief that only adults suffer from stress and stress related problems, children from a very young age itself suffer from tension and stress of different types at varying levels. Stress is normal part of life that can either help us learn and grow or can cause us significant problems but severe stress releases powerful neuro-chemicals and hormones that prepare us for action (to fight or flee). If we don’t take action, the stress response can lead to health problems. Prolonged, uninterrupted, unexpected, and unmanageable stresses are the most damaging types of stress.

The study concentrated mainly in understanding the prevalence of stress in children and the results point out that majority of children are suffering from mild to moderate levels of stress that can lead to many problems in present and future. Here further research on the causes leading to this state in children needs immediate attention. So also the measures to overcome this condition needs further probe.

Since more children than expected are suffering from stress, it is important to understand the factor that is giving the pressure and tension to children. As the stressors vary with age, culture and society the causes have to be identified first. Our increasing knowledge about the importance and impact of stress on young children should be put to good use in reducing stress factors for young children and in assisting children to increase coping strategies and healthy responses to manage the unavoidable stresses in their lives.

Every child’s mental health is important, many children have mental health problems, and these problems are real and painful and can be severe. The more we understand the challenges of the young people we serve, the more effective and life changing our services become. Awareness-raising is needed for parents, teachers and professionals to take joint action to relieve the suffering caused by stress in many of these children. It is proved that stable family and happy school where there is love, care and concern with less mental pressure is of paramount importance in the alleviation of child stress and that should be the goal of parents and teachers so as to help them to face the challenges of life confidently and positively. However, the findings point to the need for an urgent, more detailed research on large sample for a better understanding of childhood stress and its causes.

Brobeck E, Marklund B, Haraldsson K et al. Stress in children: how fifth-year pupils experience stress in everyday life. Scand J Caring Sci 2007; 21:3 9.
Bullock, J. Bullying: Childhood Education. 78(3). 130-133; 2002).
Centre for Disease and Prevention (2005). Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, National Centre for Health Statistics. Retrieved on May 27, 2005 from the worldwide web: www.cdc.gov/nchs.
Centre for Stress Managemnet, 2003. Definition of Stress. Vol. 2004. www.managing stress.com/articles/definition, html.
Cohen, S.; Kessler, R.C.; & Gordon, L.U. (1995). Strategies for measuring stress in studies of psychiatric and physical disorders. In Cohen, S.; Kessler, R.C.; & Gorden, L.U. (Eds). Measuring Stress. A Guide for Health and Social Scientists. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Dacey, J. S.,& Fiore, L.B.(2000).’Your anxious child. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
‘Danielle N. Brooks .Specific Stressors and the Specific Stress Symptoms They Elicit in School-Age Children, The Ohio State University College of Nursing.
Dr. Kate Sofronoff. Anxiety and stress in children with Asperger Syndrome, School of psychology: University of Queensland; 2005.

J Sports Sci. 1987; 5:155–163.

Health fears for teen girls as stress levels double in 12 years” Sunday Herald, the, March 23, 2003 by Sarah-Kate Templeton

10. Jone Parry, 2005. Farmers, Farm workers and work related stress. Health and Safety Executive Publishers, London, 3-18 pp.

11. Keith J. Loud, Catherine M. Gordon, Lyle J. Micheli and Alison E. Field, “Correlates of Stress Fractures among Preadolescent and Adolescent Girls” Paediatric 2005; 115; e399-e406 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2004-1868

12. ’ Depression, anxiety and stress among Saudi adolescent school boys, ‘Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University.

13. Kochenderfer-Ladd, B., & Skinner, K. (2002). Children’s coping strategies: Moderators of the effects of peer victimization? Developmental Psychology, 38(2), 267-278.

14. Lewis, C.E., Siegel, J.M., & Lewis, M.A. (1984). Feeling Bad: Exploring Sources of Distress among Pre-Adolescent Children. American Journal of Public Health, 74(2), 117-122.

15. Martin AD, McCulloch RG. Bone dynamics: stress, strain and fracture.

16. Prevalence of childhood stress and associated factors: a study of schoolchildren in a city in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, C. R. Sbaraini and L. B. Schermann, 24/Sep/2007, Cad. Saúde Pública, Rio de Janeiro

17. Rubin, Z, Peplau, L. A., & Salovey, P. (1993), Psychology and Health. In DeRocco, M, Mancuso, T, & Piland, S. (Eds). Psychology. (pp. 426-432). Boston, Ma: Houghton Mufflin Company.

18. Sharrer VW, Ryan-Wenger NA. School Age Children’s Self Reported Stress Symptoms. Paediatric Nursing, 28(1): 21-27; 2002.

19. Stansbury, K., & Harris, M. L. (2000). Individual differences in stress reactions during a peer entry episode: Effects of age, temperament, approach behaviour, and self-perceived peer competence. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 76(1), 50-63

20. The Centre for the Advancement of Health, 1999. http://www.cfah.org

http://www.scienceblog.com/community

21. The Hindu, “Concern over high stress levels among students”Monday, Feb 24, 2003.

22. The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, “Stress Management: Student Stress: Study Stress: Exam Stress Depression”, Vol. 127, No. 1, 33-37(2007) DOI: 10.1177/1466424007070492.

23. Youngs, Bettie. B. (1995) Stress and your child: Helping Kids Cope with the Strains and Pressures of Life. New York: Fawcett Columbine.

Filed Under: Child Health Services Tagged With: among, Children., Kerala, Prevalence, School, Stress

Asthma Symptoms In Children

August 25, 2011 by admin 1 Comment

In order to detect symptoms of asthma attacks in children, you should recognize them. Knowing the symptoms of this chronic illness can help you save your child. You will be able to successfully give the corresponding treatment for your child immediately.

The hard reality is that children cannot express their symptoms all the time. It is important that there is someone who should monitor their condition. Before the symptoms worsen and become severe, take note of these symptoms to help your child.

Coughing

Coughing is one of the most common symptoms of asthma attack in children. It is not easy to determine the illness behind. This symptom is found in asthma as well as in colds and flu. However, an asthmatic child is usually persistent and exhausted. This can be brought by exerting too much effort, allergies and infections.

Moreover, coughing is common to asthmatic children at night. These disturbing effect results to restlessness and discomfort.

Wheezing

Wheezing is one of the most common symptoms of this illness. It is a disturbing sound in the form of whistling and squeaking. This is often heard when a child with asthma inhales or exhales. The reason behind wheezing is that the muscles that surround the passages of air become too tight and swells.

Difficulty of breathing

One cause of breathing difficulty is the tightening of airways. Once the asthma attacks, it causes a reaction to the muscles making it to compress. You can notice this when the child is rapidly breathing and having a short of breathe. Most asthmatic children keep their symptoms on their own and unable to speak it up.

Tighting of chest

This symptom cannot be easily detected. This feels like a cap on the depth of breathe, which makes it difficult to inhale air. Another is that the lung functions irregularly. This results to a decrease of 15% in your full breathing capacity, which can cause shallow breathing.

Knowing the symptoms of asthma attack in children can be a useful guide that can save your child’s life. Consider this every now and then since it is important as the treatments in asthma.

Filed Under: Child Health Services Tagged With: Asthma, Children., Symptoms

Importance of the Mental Health of Children

August 22, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Article by Jack Clarke

In this complex and changing society it is recommended that parents become aware of the need to safeguard the mental health of children. Mental health, of course, is not just the home environment, but when the family atmosphere is healthy and the relations established within it love, children are likely to develop properly.

The concept of psychological disorder does not admit a single definition. To this must be added that in the continuum normal-pathology is not always easy to pinpoint where health breaks. Often the presence of a cluster of symptoms that create discomfort or interfere with children’s activity can speak of mental disorder. The anomaly occurs in cognitive, emotional, behavioral, social and relational or alters a child’s life considerably.

Mental disorder itself involves a loss of mental balance which limits the possibilities for personal fulfillment. Not to be confused with juvenile psychopathology, very common during the growing stage, as the Onychophagia (nail biting), opposition, lies tiny, poor hygiene, night terrors, etc.., Which may express mild immaturity, anxiety before certain situations or improper acquisition of a habit.

The higher infant-adolescent psychopathology may vary by age and gender, but generally affects aspects such as learning, development, behavior, nutrition, sleep, communication, etc.. The range is so wide that when parents have doubts, what is most appropriate to consult a specialist. Beyond the psychological or medical treatment is essential to involve the family.

Causes of disorders

The study of the causes of mental disorders usually reveals a combination of physical, psychological and social. Sometimes the causes predominantly biological (genetic abnormalities, brain dysfunction, etc.). Sometimes, however, the key is to be found in traumatic childhood experiences relating to assault, neglect, rejection, etc.., Whose negative impact depends partly on the strength of the personality of the child. The mental weakness in the early developmental stages can prevent assimilation of the conflict, which in turn increases the vulnerability and hampers development.

A third group of leading causes of psychopathology can be traced to social experiences. This applies, for example, family situations chaired by excessive rigidity, poor communication, lack of affection, overprotection, and so on. Nor can it ignore the sociocultural environment in the assessment of risks posed to children and adolescents. An environment characterized by corruption, repression, manipulation of mass media, economic poverty, pollution and alienation from nature, the abuse of technology, etc.., Is fertile ground for mental illness.

Clearly, the intervention of social factors is not readily separable from the psychological causes and biological aspects.The weighting of the different dimensions, to the extent possible, would probably require a detailed study of each case.

Family Changes

The family in Western countries are experiencing major changes known to all. Which is to say that the family is not exclusively a traditional system consisting of the father, mother and children born within marriage. The consequences of the conditions under which the family is vary, but it certainly increases as the break in the household, its members will be exposed to a greater number of psychological problems.

The model of family relations chaired by poor communication, the structural weakness or stiffness is one of the real causes of psychopathology in children and adolescents.Parents are now absorbed by the hustle and work the remaining time to devote to their children. Creature comforts at home are not always accompanied by interpersonal quality. A familiar landscape filled with electronic equipment leaves no room for the emotional meeting. In this context of increasing depersonalization find at least the following sources familiar mental disturbance:

*The parental permissiveness established as a reaction to the authoritarianism of the past has proved to be equally harmful to the social and emotional development of children. The structure corresponds to permissive family communities in which parents do not take their responsibilities or establish any kind of rules, which leads children to a dangerous confusion. Consider, for example, alcoholism and other drug dependencies.

*We must also take into account the isolation and individualism emphasized by some technologies (television, internet…) that are often used inappropriately or abused. In these circumstances, it is no wonder that in the younger segments of the population have increased electronic addictions.

*Family disintegration caused by separation or divorce. The consequences of cases vary considerably, but the conflicts and tensions at home can have negative effects on children and may push them toward violence, marginalization, and so on.

*The stress family situations of distress generated by economic requirements, etc.., harms mental health. In fact, children who come from disadvantaged social groups are more likely to experience psychosomatic illnesses: asthma, headaches, intestinal disorders, etc..

*Life events (death of a loved one, sexual abuse, leaving home for a parent, serious illness, addiction of a family member, etc..) also have negative impact on the mental health of children and adolescents.

Mental disorder itself involves a loss of mental balance which limits the possibilities for personal fulfillment. Not to be confused with juvenile psychopathology, very common during the growing stage, which may express mild immaturity, anxiety before certain situations or improper acquisition of a habit.

The higher infant-adolescent psychopathology may vary by age and gender, but generally affects aspects such as learning, development, behavior, nutrition, sleep, communication, etc. The range is so wide that when parents have doubts, what is most appropriate is to consult a specialist. Beyond the psychological or medical treatment, it is essential to involve the family.

Family life requires permanent care, touch, affection, understanding, values, attention to the seemingly trivial, sufficient stimulation and sensitivity to the uniqueness of each child. A family atmosphere of these features lights and gives the child the healthiest personal resources for the adventure of life.

Jack Clarke has been an author and content publisher for the past 12 years. He currently runs several review sites including Bernina Sewing Machines among many others.

Filed Under: Child Health Services Tagged With: Children., Health, Importance, mental

The Public Sex Offender Registry Harms Innocent Children

Bad Breath In Children

Recipes for Children with Food Allergies: Observations, Advice and Safety Tips

The Importance Of Nutrition For Parents & Children

INTERGENERATIONAL EXCHANGES: A STUDY OF ELDERLY AND THEIR MARRIED CHILDREN

Cautions About Chicken Pox in Children

Prevalence Of Stress Among School Children In Kerala

Asthma Symptoms In Children

Importance of the Mental Health of Children

Recent Posts

Partners