Page 45 - Blog
December 05, 2010
In the first half of the 20th century proponents of the Eugenics movement influenced nearly thirty state legislatures to pass a law allowing the involuntary sterilization of people with developmental, mental, sensory and physical disabilities.i This legislative trend was based on the belief that these and other "socially inadequate populations, ii would produce offspring that would be burdensome to society. The result of this policy was the forced sterilization of 60,000 American citizens, some as young as ten years old. Add to this the forced institutionalization of millions of disabled people and you see that parenting with a disability was a rare opportunity. However, by the 1970's most sterilization laws were struck down on procedural grounds and rules were adopted that prohibited sterilization by institutions receiving federal funding. Moreover, the de-institutionalization movement drastically increased the number of people with disabilities living in communities. In the 1980's the
December 05, 2010
Handicapped and crippled used to be terms for the disabled and now "Special Needs has become an umbrella underneath which a staggering array of diagnoses can be placed. Children with special needs may have mild learning disabilities or profound mental retardation; food allergies or terminal illnesses; developmental delays or serious psychiatric problems. (Terry Mauro, About.com) In almost every community in the United States there are parent support groups and other community organizations directly involved in providing services to families with the aim of achieving full inclusion in the social and educational life of the community for special needs children. Easter Seals www.easterseals.com is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical and mental disabilities and other special needs. It was founded in 1919 in Ohio by Edgar "Daddy Allen, a man who saw that children with disabilities were often hidden from public view. In
November 06, 2010
In May 2010 Maui based chiropractor, Tracey Wright, D.C., embarked on a journey to Fortaleza, Brazil. There she joined 15 other chiropractors from around the world. The bond that magnetized them was AdjustWorld, a non-profit organization whose mission is to share Chiropractic throughout the world in order to allow individuals of all ages to clearany interference in their bodies and allow Life to flow as it was intended. AdjustWorld knows that as people are adjusted they remember who they are and they choose to express greater levels of Love towards themselves and their fellow human beings. They will make higher conscious choices about our "internal environment that will automatically change our choices toward our external environment.
I was honored to be a part of the team chosen to treat the local community in Fortaleza. With a population of over 2.5 million, it is the 5th largest city in Brazil and one of the highest demographic densities in the country. This is the 13th consecutive year
November 06, 2010
A Ride on Mother's Back - A Day of Baby Carrying Around the World Written by Emery Bernhard and Illustrated by Durga Bernhard 1996 Harcourt, Inc. ($12.00 on Amazon)
This is a remarkably beautiful book, simply written with outstanding art work that illustrates Babywearing around the world. It asks the questions: "How do different peoples carry their babies? and "What is it like to ride on mother's back? From Guatemala, Bali, Central Africa, Canada, West Africa, Thailand, Amazon River, Katmandu, Papua New Guinea, to the Andes Mountains of South America, descriptions of how these different cultures all work and play hands free are depicted. It is a wonderful picture book for children as well as adults because it shows family members carrying "their babies all through the day, while planting and harvesting, tending and gathering, cooking and playing. Snuggled and cuddled, jiggled and bounced, bundled and rocked, babies discover the world they live in. Today this practice is called Attachment
November 06, 2010
Is the practice of Babywearing catching up with history? Is it only something native peoples do? How many parents do you see or know who wear their babies in carriers? Or is it something that celebrities like Madonna, Angelina and Brad, Gwen Stefani, and Julia Roberts are popularizing? The answer to the first question is yes, Babywearing is experiencing a vigorous renaissance. And yes, every country in the world has a traditional baby carrier designed to meet their particular needs such as type of work, climate, and wearing positions: Mexico, the Rebozo; Peru, the Manta; Guatemala, the Parraje; Alaska, the Amauti; Papua New Guinea, the Bilum; Indonesia; a Selendang; Asia, Mei-tai (China) and Onbuhimo (Japan)i. All mothers, African, Welsh, Ethiopian, Maori and European have carriers of their own designs. A beautiful book about this is: "A Ride on Mother's Back, A Day of Baby Carrying Around the World by Emery and Durga Bernhard, Harcourt, Inc. Just look around in airports and shopping
October 06, 2010
Out of love, parents do so many things with their little baby to help their baby grow up and get ready for life, eventually for life on her own, with all the challenges that adult life will present. They feed, nurture, soothe, stimulate, teach and protect her. Researchers have long been interested in breaking down the great many different things parents do with their babies to find out which actions or patterns of actions may be most vital to the future resilience, security and healthy independence of the baby. Much work has gone into looking at parental sensitivity and responsiveness to the baby's needs. Recently, scientific focus is turning to the effects of maintaining skin-to-skin contact with one's baby in the formative months. Providing deliberate skin-to-skin contact has been done with premature babies since the 70's, where parents hold their babies skin-to-skin for several hours a day. This in part substitutes or compliments use of the incubators where the premature babies are normally
October 06, 2010
Adopting a Newborn: Journey and Attachment Challenges
The process of adoption is often long and emotional. By the time the exhausted new parents have been united with their baby, it is time to begin the journey of becoming a family. The joy and excitement of this new beginning, however, can sometimes conceal a very real challenge: how to form a strong attachment with this unfamiliar baby?
Understanding Attachment Difficulties When Adopting a Newborn
According to Dr. Walter D. Buenning, Ph.D. and expert in treating Reactive Attachment Disorder, 10-30% of infants adopted at birth may have trouble attaching to their adoptive parents. While there is little research to determine the exact cause of an infant’s difficulty in attaching, this behavior is usually associated with early trauma: neglect, abuse, abandonment, or multiple placements.
Effective Strategies to Encourage Attachment
Lacking a specific “cure for difficult attachment, experts agree on a few behaviors that parents can implement
September 01, 2010
All the major news networks now have segments on Heroes. It appears to be a time in our history when we need to bring them to mass media to remind us that altruism is a virtue. Some are soldiers who have died in the line of duty under heroic circumstances. Some are individuals who have found special ways to give of their time, energy and money to make a difference and help others in need. Heroes are amazing examples of unselfish concern for the welfare of others entirely without ulterior motive: selflessness. It is the philosophical doctrine that right action is that which produces the greatest benefit to others. And then there are Heroines, women who possess heroic qualities. I personally have a heroine whose story I would like to tell. She is Josephine Nalugo, a young woman in Kampala, Uganda, Africa. I first met Josephine in July of 2007 when she emailed my company asking for a donation of a baby carrier. She introduced herself as a member of the Children in Africa Project. This was
September 01, 2010
For most people the idea of bringing an infant to work is completely alien. How could one get anything done, they may ask, while tending to the needs of an infant? Well, it is not easy but it can be done in certain professions. For myself, a researcher for Ergobaby at the time my daughter, Neela, was born, it was a challenge that I relished, since my wife and I would were committed not to put our newborn into daycare, even if it meant financial hardship. Luckily, our employer supported having babies at the workplace. Thanks to Ergobaby we did not have to be separated for hours a day from our newborn daughter. I arranged my desk to accommodate standing while working and wore my daughter in an Ergobaby baby carrier with the infant insert . I worked with Neela on my body for several hours each day. In fact, as the "experiment went on, my co-workers would also wear her from time to time. Neela became another member of the office staff. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that
July 19, 2010
MAUI, HI -- July 15, 2010 -- Today marks the launch of the newest design of the popular ERGObaby carrier - the Performance. The ERGObaby Performance carriers are made for babies, moms and dads that are active and love to be outside in almost any climate. The ERGObaby Performance carriers feature a high-performance polyester exterior, ideal for outdoor activities in all climates; a breathable mesh lining, keeping babies and parents cooler and more comfortable; and a CoolMax panel for extra moisture absorption and protection. This sleek, streamlined design offers a smooth, supportive fit for parents and babies of most sizes, and, as with all ERGObaby Carriers, can be used to carry babies from newborn to toddler on the back, front, and hip positions. Of course, like every other ERGObaby Carrier, ERGObaby's Performance line supports the correct ergonomic position for both babies and parents. "I am thrilled to bring the Performance to the families of the world," says Karin Frost, President