My Dream Study

For my research project, I would focus on the effects of diet on AD/HD.  Having no restrains in reality, I would work with a hospital that has a developmental clinic.  My research would get an initial baseline of behavior at home and at school.  I would interview parents during the intake process.  The parents and the research team would then complete a food journal during the home visit.  Taking note of processed, artificial and other notable ingredients in foods that may aggravate the child’s condition.  Then my research team and I would put the children who qualified for an AD/HD diagnosis would put the family on a strict food plan.  The plan would give explicate instructions on what the family can eat.  No processed food, limited sugar intake, and no dyed foods will be available.  A blood test would be taken to see reactions to dairy and gluten as well.  The study will last 6 months, noting weekly behavioral changes and studying the food journal in case tweaks to the food plan need to be made.    

This study could have an extraordinary impact on the well-being of children.  It could revolutionize the way AD/HD is treated; families would have definitive choices placed before them.  There could be another option besides pharmaceutical treatments. 

My Research Journey

The topic I choose for the research simulation is the effects of poverty on early childhood education.  I choose this topic because I see poverty in my classroom every day.  One day a student comes to school hungry.  The next day I had a student evicted from his house.  The students I teach all have autism; nearly all of them are nonverbal. The upheaval in their lives would affect a typical child negatively.  I can only imagine the turmoil that my students are going through. 

I have only just begun researching this topic for my chart.  One resource I have found is the Harvard University (2011) Global Children’s Initiative: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative

This site has many interesting articles on the effects of stressful situations such as poverty on young children.  I would love to have any input that you my colleagues could share with me!

Consequences of International Contacts

Four consequences of learning about the international early childhood field are:

1.      Learn about trends in the international field of early childhood education. 

2.      Learn about what works and does not work in the field in other countries.

3.      Learn from countries that are ahead of the United States in education.

4.      Finally, create professional contacts so as to share information about early childhood education.

My goal for international awareness is to continue to try and get an international pen pal.  Even though this assignment is over, I would still like to make a professional contact in which to share information with. 

Early Childhood Care and Education

Unfortunately, I did not receive a response from my international contacts. 

So I thoroughly examined the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) website to learn more about international early childhood educational practices. 

The first new insight I gained is that education is a privilege not a right in many countries.  Only the children of wealthy people are able to go to school, while the poorest children must work to help their family.  It is a horrific cycle that seems to have no end.

The second insight I gained is that developing governments have difficulties dealing with early childhood in a holistic manner.  Instead, early childhood education is placed within many different sectors of the government such as health and services.  It is also difficult for growing governments to coordinate early childhood schools in the private and public sectors, so there is no constancy between the two.      

The final insight I gained from the website is in the area of literacy.  The UNESCO website states that one in five adults are illiterate, with 2/3 of those ratio women.  Also 67.4 million children are not in school.  With numbers that staggering, it makes me wonder what can be done to change this abysmal trend. 



Source -

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/access/

Sharing Web Resources

http://www.naccrra.org/

One link in the NACCRRA website that caught my interest was the picture of the nation that allows you to type in your zip code to search for child care resources and referral agencies.  Being from a small populated state, I was not expecting to find any resources. 

Happily I was mistaken!  There is one site in the town I live where people can look for child care. 

1. Child Care Finder - Southeastern Wyoming Office
1111 E. Lincolnway, Suite 116
Cheyenne, WY, 82001
Phone: 307-638-2091
E-mail: cheyenneccf@wyoming.com
URL: www.childrens-nutrition.com

This is an excellent resource for me as a professional.  Often parents ask me what the best child care centers in town.  I have limited knowledge of daycares since I never used one personally.  Now I have a resource to help parents find affordable, quality daycare. 

Children's Global Initiative

The Center on the Developing Child website by Harvard University is an extensive and impressive source for early childhood information.  The many topics investigated on the website include: Science of Early Childhood, Understanding Intervention, Innovation, Global Child Development, and Foundation of Lifelong Health.  The most interesting topic to me is the Science of Early Childhood.  One topic included in this is the body’s response to toxic stress.  There are three different types of stress that the body reacts to; positive, tolerable and toxic.  Harvard research has found that prolonged exposure to toxic stress, such as physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver substance abuse or mental illness, exposure to violence, and/or the accumulated burdens of family economic hardship, can have a lasting impact on a developing body (Harvard, 2011).  The more toxic stress a child encounters the better the chances are that the child will experience developmental delays and health problems as an adult. 

Another topic of interest is Understanding Intervention.  This part of the website is dedicated to explaining how and why the research of early childhood can help predict successful outcomes of childhood.  Understanding Intervention also shows the benefits of early intervention, the practices that are successful at this age, and adds to the research that supports early intervention.

The final topic that interested me is the section on Global Child Development.  Harvard is using their research to better early childhood outcomes around the world.  Although there is still a great need for funding and awareness, Harvard’s research is showing countries around the world how secure a better future for children by beginning intervention at an early age.  This information sharing will help bring equality and excellence to children around the world.  I will be looking to this website for professional research in the years to come. 

Harvard University (2011) Global Children’s Initiative Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative

Current Topics

One current topic that the NACCRRA (National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) has recently cover that interests me is the cost of quality child-care.  The report for example, covers where are the most and least expensive states in the nation for quality child care.

The 10 least-affordable states for full-time infant care in a center in 2010 were Massachusetts, New York, Hawaii, Colorado, Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Oregon, Illinois, Montana and Pennsylvania (naccrra, 2011).

The 10 least-affordable states for full-time care for a 4-year-old in a center in 2010 were New York, Montana, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Oregon, Vermont, Colorado and Maine (naccrra, 2011).

The report also states that it costs the average two income family 10% of their income to have high-quality child care.  As a person who does not use child-care, this amount surprised me.  It should not cost so much of your salary to ensure your child is receiving proper child care.  This interests me as a professional because the NACCRRA will use this report to lobby congress for affordable child care for all parents, not just the wealthy.

 

Resource -

NACCRRA (2011) Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2011 Update Retrieved from http://www.naccrra.org/publications/naccrra-publications/parents-and-high-cost-of-child-care-2011.php