Unit7Disc1 & 2 SWHD PEER RESPONSE
Unit7Dics1
Compare and contrast your post with one of your fellow learners’. Why is the study of the brain so important to the practice of social work? How far-reaching are its implications?
PEER: Baby brain development is so important. When a child is born, 12 months is the most crucial time because they learn nature and nurture. I work at an early head start that services a child from 6 weeks old to 3 years old. I learned about babies from this website about Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, postpartum blues, and healthy food habits.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is something that occurs in babies under 12 months old. This causes the baby to spit up their formula/breast milk unexpectedly and can happen even when the baby is moved too much. This can also cause babies to be malnourished, fussier than usual, and very stressful for the parents. A lot of babies end up outgrowing reflux. Some tips that can help are smaller feedings, burping more frequently, and setting schedules.
Postpartum Blues is a type of depression that can occur to mothers right after giving birth to their child. Symptoms include low energy, not caring about things you used to, crying, etc. Often after giving birth, new mothers are put under a lot of stress, especially if their babies are not in the best health and have something like reflux. A mother needs to get help if they are experiencing postpartum. Postpartum directly affects a child’s brain and development because if your parent/caregiver is not taking care of themselves properly, they cant take care of others.
Healthy food habits are vital to a child’s early development. There have been huge findings and changes in food in the past ten years. Cow’s milk has been said to be a “perfect” food for years. But in recent years, we have seen how milk is produced in dairy farms, the hormones, high amounts of fat and sugar. In retrospect, it is not that great for kids. The same thing goes for juice. Juice is marketed for kids and is “natural and fresh.” However, it is packed with added sugar and artificial flavors. Food makes a significant impact on children’s health, and it is vital to feed them fresh fruits, veggies, and protein to keep their brains healthy.
This will directly influence my social work practice because I plan to open my therapy/counseling center, and some of my clients might have postpartum or be children. Many people don’t realize how much food impacts not only their physical health but also their mental health.
Unit7Disc2
Compare and contrast your answer with one of your fellow learners’. Discuss the similarities and differences, and reflect on how your own gender identification might affect your understanding of its impact on clients.
PEER:
Gender roles and gender development have changed and evolved in the past 20 years. Young girls and boys experience physical, cognitive, and social changes to prepare themselves for the future role as an adult woman or man (Lundahl, 2014). From a young age, children are often put in a box regarding gender. If it’s a boy, everything is blue, and if it’s a girl, everything is pink. Dresses are for girls; tools are for boys. Even in kids’ books and TV shows, we see how gender development is very black and white. Social and environmental influences highly impact a child’s gender development. Many cultures believe that men are men and women are women. They do not support the LGBTQ community and view men above women. Many cultures believe that men should be the breadwinners and women should stay with the kids. Homophobia is a huge social factor that affects a child’s gender development. Some parents do not believe or want their child switching their birth gender. Schools play a massive part in gender identity as well. We have separate boy bathrooms and girl bathrooms. This can be detrimental to a child’s mental health, especially when exploring their gender. At my high school, they actually ended up building a multi-gender bathroom where any gender is allowed to go in.
When a child is exploring their gender identity, it might always be a good idea to put them in therapy. It is a scary world out there and there is always a chance of assault and harrasment. The amount of hate crimes against the LGBTQ community is absurd and disgusting. It is very important that we keep everyone safe.
