Immunizations

Childhood immunizations are very important for children all over the world.  Every country has different requirements for what immunizations children should have when they are born.  Immunizations can help protect children from many common infections. These infections can lead to serious and even life threatening complications.

I believe immunizations are very important to keep children healthy.  Most immunizations have been around for years and have been through many years of research.

I work with child care providers.  It is required for providers to have up-to-date immunization records on each of the children in their care.  We make sure they have the most recent immunization information.

In Bolivia and Brazil it is required to be immunized for yellow fever, typhoid and rabies.  These are immunizations that are not required in the United States. 

Birth Experience

Two weeks before my due date, I went to my sister-in-laws wedding.  After the wedding, we went home for a little bit before going to the reception.  I started getting contractions about 2 minutes apart.  I quickly packed a bag for my almost 4 year old son and dropped him off at my fathers.  On the way to the hospital we passed my sister in laws limo!!  About 1 mile from the hospital my water broke.  We parked the truck in the circle in front of the hospital.  My husband went in and got a wheelchair.  I got up to labor and delivery and in less than 5 minutes I gave birth to a 6lb 11 oz baby girl.  We were excited as we didn't know what we were having so now we had a boy and a girl.  My husband called the reception hall to let everyone know we had the baby.  My father brought my son down to see the baby and he came in the room and wanted to know where his pink baby was!  It was so cute!!

I chose this event because it was pretty interesting that I had her in between the wedding and the reception.  Plus it was a very quick delivery compared to my son's.

I believe that events that happen at birth play a huge role in a child's development.  There are some dramatic things that can go wrong that will affect a child forever.

The Ngöbe are among the poorest of Latin America’s people.  The women give birth in their straw huts far away from medical clinics.  All pregnancies are classified as high risk due to the extreme poverty.   It is also common for women to have 9-10 children.

I can understand how the lack of medical care in rural areas can play a huge part in  how children are born and children's development.

Three meaningful ideals

To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training. (NAEYC 2005, Code of Ethical Conduct).  I think it is very important to continue to partcipate in any trainings being offered that will expand your knowledge in early childhood.  I believe that as a professional, you need to seek out training opportunities.

To advocate for and ensure that all children, including those with special needs, have access to the support services needed to be successful. (NAEYC 2005, Code of Ethical Conduct).  I believe that all children deserve to have the opportunity to be successful.  Teachers need to look at each individual child to determine the child's own needs.  So a teacher might need to teach in a few different ways in order for all children to be successful or determine that some children need extra help.

To listen to families, acknowledge and build upon their strengths and competencies, and learn from families as we support them in their task of nurturing children. (NAEYC 2005, Code of Ethical Conduct).  I believe that is important for early childhood professionals to listen to families and help them  work on goals for their child and their family.  It is also important for the family to feel involved with their child's day and to encourage them to come into the classroom.  If they are unable to come to the classroom they can read or do activities at home to help the child succeed.

Reference:  Article: NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment.  http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

Additional Resources

I just went to a Facilitator's training and this book came highly recommended.  I plan on getting it soon and reading it.  I will post a comment to give my opinion. (http://www.amazon.com/)

This is another book that was mentioned at the training.  It is another one I look forward to reading.  (http://www.amazon.com/)


Another resource that is worth checking out if you haven't yet is
www.ellynsatter.com

She has wonderful ideas on feeding children and the division of responsibility.

I work with child care providers in CACFP (food program).  I had Connie Ever's come out and do a presentation in nutrition for my program.  She has a book out called "How to Teach Nutrition to Kids" by Connie Evers .  She was a great speaker!  It is a good book if you are working with children to teach them about nutrition.

Course resources

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/53029/CRS-CW-4465394/educ6005_readings/naeyc_dap_position_statement.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
  
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~images/pdfs/snapshots/snap33.pdf
  
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al.  (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title. 

• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
   
• Websites:
• World Forum Foundation
  http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
  This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage 
  
• World Organization for Early Childhood Education
  http://www.omep.org.gu.se/English/about_OMEP/
  Read about OMEP’s mission. 
  
• Association for Childhood Education International
  http://acei.org/about/
  Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements. National Association for the Education of Young Children
  http://www.naeyc.org/
  
• The Division for Early Childhood
  http://www.dec-sped.org/
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
  http://www.zerotothree.org/
  
• WESTED
  http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
  
• Harvard Education Letter
  http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
  
• FPG Child Development Institute
  http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
  
• Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
  
• HighScope
  http://www.highscope.org/
  
• Children’s Defense Fund
  http://www.childrensdefense.org/
  
• Center for Child Care Workforce
  http://www.ccw.org/
  
• Council for Exceptional Children
  http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
  
• Institute for Women’s Policy Research
  http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
  
• National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
  http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
  
• National Child Care Association
  http://www.nccanet.org/
  
• National Institute for Early Education Research
  http://nieer.org/
  
• Pre[K]Now
  http://www.preknow.org/
  
• Voices for America’s Children
  http://www.voices.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=22807
  
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/

An excerpt from Dr. Ann Turnbull

"But our greatest hope is that its not just the responsibility of parents and inividuals with intellectual disabilities to be advocates and ambassadors but the classmates, the co-workers, the neighbors, the members of religious communities."




Resource:
"Attitudes Toward the Intellectually Disabled." Talk of the Nation, Washington DC, August 11, 2009

A quote from Dr. Alice Honig

"Family is the first school for young children, and parents are powerful models."

Resource:
"Helping Children Become More Caring and Cooperative," NYSAEYC Reporter (Winter 1994)