The ugly face of racism (repost)

My younger sister Kasie and I are extremely close and have been all our lives.  For many years it seemed like I was her only friend.  My family relocated to Naperville, Il when I was going to the 8th grade and my sister was going into the 2nd grade.  Naperville is a predominantly white area and we were one of three African American families in our subdivision.  We were all excited about the move, but anxious about meeting new friends.  The school started off pretty good.  My sister's school had a rule that if a child had a birthday party they had to invite the entire class.  One day my sister came home from school really upset.  A little girl in her class was having a birthday party and she was the only child in the class that did not get invited.  My mother assured her that it must have been a mistake and called the teacher the next day. After several conversations Kasie still did not get an invitation.  She was invited to one birthday party that year.  The next year she was called a nigger by a classmate.  I became her best friend.  I  felt terrible that my baby sister was having such a hard time making friends and it was something that came easy for me.  After living there for 4 years my parents made the decision to move back to Ga in hopes that it would be easier on Kasie.  It almost seems ironic that we would move back to the South to escape racism.
My sister is 29 years and I am still her best friend and one of her only friends.  Kasie was never the same after we moved from Illinois.  I slowly watched her light fade and it broke my heart.  It makes me sick to my stomach that her childhood years were tarnished with memories that she will never forget.  I pray that one day we will live in a world were every person no matter that color, religious beliefs, sexuality, or anything different is excepted by all.

I have always wondered how the children of Afghanistan are affected by all there country has been through over the years. In my research of this country I learned  that one in seven Afghan children will not live to see their fifth birthday. Enrolment in primary education has vastly improved over the past 10 years, but still only 7 girls for every 10 boys are enrolled in primary education.  One in three children in Afghanistan under the age of five are moderately or severely underweight for their age because their families have not been able to feed them properly. As they get older, many kids are forced to work on the streets just to make sure there is food on the table.  Afghani children experiences the stress of war, but they are also faced with violence, trauma, chaos, abuse, and poverty.  One consequence of facing these stressors is post-traumatic stress disorder.  I hope this country will find  peace soon and that the devasting affects from the war won't leave permeant scars on the precious children.

The ugly face of racism

My younger sister Kasie and I are extremely close and have been all our lives.  For many years it seemed like I was her only friend.  My family relocated to Naperville, Il when I was going to the 8th grade and my sister was going into the 2nd grade.  Naperville is a predominantly white area and we were one of three African American families in our subdivision.  We were all excited about the move, but anxious about meeting new friends.  The school started off pretty good.  My sister's school had a rule that if a child had a birthday party they had to invite the entire class.  One day my sister came home from school really upset.  A little girl in her class was having a birthday party and she was the only child in the class that did not get invited.  My mother assured her that it must have been a mistake and called the teacher the next day.  After several conversations Kasie still did not get an invitation.  She was invited to one birthday party that year.  The next year she was called a nigger by a classmate.  I became her best friend.  I  felt terrible that my baby sister was having such a hard time making friends and it was something that came easy for me.  After living there for 4 years my parents made the decision to move back to Ga in hopes that it would be easier on Kasie.  It almost seems ironic that we would move back to the South to escape racism.
My sister is 29 years and I am still her best friend and one of her only friends.  Kasie was never the same after we moved from Illinois.  I slowly watched her light fade and it broke my heart.  It makes me sick to my stomach that her childhood years were tarnished with memories that she will never forget.  I pray that one day we will live in a world were every person no matter that color, religious beliefs, sexuality, or anything different is excepted by all.

I have always wondered how the children of Afghanistan are affected by all there country has been through over the years. In my research of this country I learned  that one in seven Afghan children will not live to see their fifth birthday. Enrolment in primary education has vastly improved over the past 10 years, but still only 7 girls for every 10 boys are enrolled in primary education.  One in three children in Afghanistan under the age of five are moderately or severely underweight for their age because their families have not been able to feed them properly. As they get older, many kids are forced to work on the streets just to make sure there is food on the table.  Afghani children experiences the stress of war, but they are also faced with violence, trauma, chaos, abuse, and poverty.  One consequence of facing these stressors is post-traumatic stress disorder.  I hope this country will find  peace soon and that the devasting affects from the war won't leave permeant scars on the precious children.

Child Development and Public Health

I choose Immunizations to review for my focus for this assignment.    Schools in the United States require immunizations.  In developed countries, immunizing children is a common practice.  In the United States children begin to receive immunizations with a weeks of birth.  Immunizations serve as a way for the immune systems to build up defenses to foreign bodies.  In doing so, the person is protected in the event that they were to come into contact with the disease. .  There are two types of immunization.  The first is active immunization.  Active immunization occurs naturally when a person comes in contact with a foreign body.  Passive immunization occurs when an individual is given pre-synthesized elements that in turn do not require the body build up its own defenses.  This generally occurs through a vaccine. 

Immunizations are very important topic to me.   Diseases can be prevented through vaccination.  Living in a country where we have access to vaccinations, this eliminates the spread of many diseases.  As an educator, states mandate which vaccinations children must receive prior to entering school.  This helps to ensure overall health in children, family members, and their teachers.   Healthy children perform better and lead more productive lives. 

Africa unfortunately does not have many resources for vaccination.  Outreach agencies such as the American Red Cross and the Measles Initiative help to ensure that children have the ability to be vaccinated.  Vaccination in rural developing areas is difficult given the fact that many children do not have access to clinics and doctors.  Likewise, facilities are often far away.  With programs such as the American Red Cross and the Measles Initiative medical professionals are able to enter the villages of Africa.  It is here that they are able to administer vaccinations free of charge.  Poverty and lack of public funding make it difficult for vaccinations to occur in developing countries.  Support from world organizations; enable the children of developing nations to receive the vaccinations that will ultimately keep them healthy. 

Child Birth in Nigeria

Nigeria, which has a large population is faced with serious limitations such as inadequate health facilities and trained personnel. As a result, 70% of women in the child bearing age depend on traditional birth attendants, traditional healers and herbalists for their health care who are usually Illiterates without any formal training in delivery procedures and with strong beliefs in supernatural powers.

 In the modern set up, as soon as pregnancy is established the woman is advised to report at the nearest antenatal clinic for a thorough physical examination.  She is advised on nutrition, personal, food and environmental hygiene, rest, exercise and activities that must be avoided.   She goes for regular check-ups and tests and is watched and cared for during labor and delivery and transferred to a hospital if any problems arise.  Traditional methods of caring for women during pregnancy, labor, delivery and puerperium are however not as organized and are usually wrapped up in myths, beliefs and traditions which often have adverse health effects on mothers and babies.


“Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate is still comparable to those countries at war or [just emerging from war],” Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, who chairs the Nigerian senate health committee, told IRIN.
Half of Nigeria’s maternal deaths are due to postpartum hemorrhaging, which unskilled health workers lack the know-how or equipment to stop, said maternal health expert Arabi Tukur of Yola, 473km northeast of the capital Abuja.

 With an average of 5.5 births per woman, West Africa has the world’s highest fertility rates, which puts women at greater risk of dying in birth, according to UNICEF.

Childbirth Experience

I don't have children of my own yet.  My husband and I have been trying for years and after many visits to the doctor have learned that IVF is the best route to go.  I pray that one day soon I will be able to talk about my own birthing experience.  Instead I will share the day my niece Kalynn was born.

I will never forget receiving the phone call at 4:15 a.m. from my father on March 26, 2004.  I answered the phone and heard "Keli, your sister is in labor.  You should need to get to the hospital".  I sat in bed for 3 minutes trying to process what he had said.  I was still half asleep and I didn't know if I was dreaming.  It didn't take me long to kick it into gear.  I had no idea how long we would be in the hospital so I grabbed my portable DVD player and some of my sisters favorite movies.  My hope was to try and keep her laughing and as comfortable as possible.  I soon found out that my plan wasn't the best one.

I drove to the hospital and remembered that I had an 8:00 class I was supposed to be in.  I called my professor and left her a message saying that I was not going to be in class because my niece was being born that day.

I finally made it to the hospital at 5:30.  They have given my sister an epidural and she was feeling no pain. In fact right after I got there we both fell asleep for a couple of hours.  My sister didn't get much sleep because the nurses kept coming in to check her status.  When I woke up we chatted for awhile and I asked her if she wanted to watch a movie.  5 minutes into the movie she sits straight up in bed and groans.  I looked over at the monitor and saw that she was having a contraction.  I began to get nervous because I knew the medicine was wearing off.  I asked my mother if I should go get the nurse.  We waited a few more minutes, but each contraction that came the pain was greater.  I ran to find her nurse!  She came in and said that it was to soon for another epidural.  I think everyone in the room was devastated by this news.  It was so hard to watch my baby sister in pain and there was nothing I could do to help.

9:45 - The nurse come back in with the anesthesiologist to give my sister another epidural.  The nurse checks her one more time and said that she had dilated 10 centimeters and was about to have a baby.  Unfortunately she did not receive the second epidural.  The doctor came in and said it is time to push!
I held her right leg and my aunt held the left.  My mother held Kasie's hand and we all encouraged her through the pain.  I remember looking down and seeing Kalynn's head starting to come out.  I was so excited i could barley hold my sisters leg.  I couldn't believe that I was seeing this miracle happen before my eyes.  Kasie gave her final push at 10:05 and Kalynn was here.
I will never forget that day.  My niece is 9 years old now and I have shared with her what it was like to see her come into this world.  I have a wonderful relationship with Kalynn and I see her almost everyday.