Consequences on a Child's Development

           I once had a 1^st grade student in my class who experienced a traumatic experience coping with a new diagnosis.  This particular student was diagnosed with Alopecia.  In her situation, she began losing clumps of her hair every time she brushed it or put her fingers in it.  At first, I had no idea what was happening and to my knowledge just thought it was like any female who sheds hair.  I waited a couple of days to see if her mom would tell me before I would have to approach her.  Luckily for me, he mom did come and approach me and explained what it was, but that there really was nothing they could do other than give her a shot in her head which at that time they chose to not do. In less than a month, the little girl had a large bald spot toward the bottom and back of her head.

            To me, this would be very traumatic and cause a lot of stress in a little girls life.  Really, this would be a stressor to any female at any age. But, for a first grader, she handled it very well. She was such a strong little girl.  In class, she would come up to me about it and ask me questions. Not knowing much about it, I would give her different ways to stay positive and explain that God is watching over her.  It was hard to give advice because I knew little knowledge of what was even going on, so I went home to research it that way if she were to approach me again, I would know more about what she was talking about and hopefully could ease her mind a little more.

            The ways that this strong little girl coped was by talking to people about what was happening and the process of what she had to look forward to. Which, by the end of the year she had gotten that shot in her head to help it.  When the other children would frequently ask her about all her hair falling out, she quickly became comfortable explaining it to them, which were another way to eliminate a stressor because we all then know what was happening.  In addition, she coped with her disease by asking questions and being around people who were staying positive for her. Deep down, her mother was falling apart, but her mother would never show her how she really felt as to not get her upset.

            I found that this stressors was causing harm to her development and progress in school.  Her academic grades were decling and she was showing little interest in improving herself. In the middle of tests, she would make a comment about her hair. This was proving the fact that her mind was on her disease rather than on her academics in class.

            Like the child I had first-hand experience with, children in South Africa have their own set of stressors. The stressors in Southern Africa are: the link between HIV/ADIS, food insecurity, poverty, and children’s vulnerability now and in the future.  The people and children of southern Africa are finding it hard to cope with the amount of stressors they are dealing with.  Children may also be removed from school to eliminate school costs. Girls are also married off at a young age as another way to cope.  

References:

Drimie, S. & Casale, M. (2009, September). Multiple stressors in Southern Africa: the link between HIV/AIDS, food insecurity, poverty and children’s vulnerability now and in the future [Abstract]. AIDS Care, 21(S1): 28-33. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2904441/