developmentmythsexposed

[developmentmythsexposed]

Infant Stage- To vaccinate or not vaccinate?

In a CNN article, it was said that “Hannah Polling's autism was found to be "significantly aggravated" by her childhood vaccines,” suggesting that vaccines in infants pose a risk for those with Autism (Cohen, 2008). In the article,  Dr. Richard Frye, assistant professor of pediatrics and neurology at the University of Texas Medical Center at Houston shares similar concerns about the Hepatitis B shot for infants, saying that "I've never understood why we give this at birth." He adds that “Hepatitis B is spread by having sex with an infected partner, by sharing needles, by sharing razors or toothbrushes with an infected person or by contact with blood or open sores of an infected person.” This opinion is shared by other doctors, as  Dr. David Traver, a pediatrician in private practice in Foster City, California says "I don't know babies who have sex or share needles," said and Dr. Lavin says that “instead of giving the hepatitis B shot at birth, he routinely gives it when a baby is 2 months old,” a steer away from the regular period when infants receive their vaccination. The article also suggests splitting up combined shots and spreading out the vaccinations, a move away from the CDC guidelines for infant vaccinations. This raises the question of whether official guidelines for infant vaccinations are accurate or not. 

In an article published by BMC Public Health in 2013, a study was conducted on focus groups of parents who share similar concerns over infant vaccinations. “eight online focus groups (n = 60) which included Dutch parents with at least one child, aged 0–4 years, for whom they refused all or part of the vaccinations within the National Immunization Program (NIP)” (Harmsen et al., 2013). It was discovered that the major reasons behind the refusal of vaccination were family lifestyle; perceptions about the child’s body and immune system; perceived risks of disease, vaccine efficacy, and side effects; perceived advantages of experiencing the disease; prior negative experience with vaccination; and social environment (Harmsen et al., 2013). The study discovered that the most significant reason lied within distrust of information and lack of reliable information provided to parents. It’s been shown that, similar to the sentiments mentioned in the article by CNN,  parents who refuse vaccination believe that “the side effects of vaccines could be severe, that vaccine-preventable diseases are not that severe, and that their child is not very susceptible. These beliefs might reflect the fact that vaccine-preventable diseases have been reduced to the point that their risks seem less important than vaccination risks”  (Harmsen et al., 2013). 

Yet, other research argue that vaccines are absolutely necessary and should even be mandatory.  According to a research by Department of Diseases Institute in Italy, “Maintaining high vaccination coverage is important in order to protect the individual and the community.” (Reza, 2019). The review even states that “ Mandatory vaccination appears to have positive effects in countries with declining vaccination coverage such as Italy,” suggesting more regulation on countries with declining vaccinations. (Reza, 2019).

Certainly, this is a topic of much controversy as it deals with the safety of infants and many vaccinations are given to new borns. Currently, the United States has mandatory vaccinations, but this has also been controversial and actual vaccinations of infants vary across states due to parental refusals. In my opinion, vaccinations are of vital importance especially to infants, who are particularly susceptible to diseases due to their undeveloped immune systems compared to healthy adults. Their small body capacity, under exposure to preventable diseases, can easily result in organ and brain damage. Yet, precautionary measures and knowledge are required before vaccinations are implemented to ensure safety of those vaccinations. 

References:

Cohen E. Should I vaccine my baby? CNN. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://edition.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/06/19/ep.vaccines/index.html

 Harmsen, I.A., Mollema, L., Ruiter, R.A. et al. (December 16 2013) Why parents refuse childhood vaccination: a qualitative study using online focus groups. BMC Public Health 13, 1183. Retrieved July 30 2020.https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-1183

 Rezza G. (December 23 2019) Mandatory vaccination for infants and children: the Italian experience. Taylor & Francis Online. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://doi.org/10.1080/20477724.2019.1705021

[developmentmythsexposed]

Adolescents- Peer pressure is an excuse?

The influence of social groups or peer influence is a topic many parents of adolescents are concerned about. A blogpost by Dr. Par Donahue (2012) states that when he asked his 16 year old son about how he resisted peer pressure, his answer was ”There is no such thing as peer pressure,” and that “Peer pressure is an excuse to do what you want to do, when you know you shouldn’t. No one makes you smoke or drink or any think like that unless you want to”. Dr Donahue adds that his son had then gone on to obtain “a 4.0 GPA and 2 years later graduated as salutatorian in a class of more than 400,” suggesting that because his son knew that peer pressure did not exist and was in fact an excuse, he was able to do well in school despite being a teenager. Dr. Donahue also refers to another 16-year-old boy whose answer was similar to his son’s, and that boy also turned out to be highly successful in his adolescence, being “an honor student, had a lot of friends, played football and trombone, and is now a Cadet at West Point.” Donahue states that peer pressure does not exist and even if they do teenagers can easily make choices. He then goes on to say how teenagers learned to make such excuses, stating that adults’ lies reinforces the idea that excuses work and “allow kids to get away with bad behavior”. He also states that the peer pressure excuse is reinforced by adults when people say “Kids are under so much pressure today, I don’t know how they can possibly resist” (Donahue, 2012). This blogpost, like many others on parenting and teenage guidance, attempts to assess whether it is socialization or selection that influences individual adolescents’ behavior. By definition, socialization is the tendency for individuals’ norms and behaviors to be influenced by the norms and behaviors of one’s group and conforming to them. Selection, however, refers to the tendency of individuals to seek-out peers with similar norms and behaviors.

 In support of Dr. Donahue’s blogpost, researchers Hoffman, Monge, Chou and Valente (2007) have found out that indeed, adolescents with smoking habits have intentionally selected peers with similar norms and behaviors. The nation-wide study, conducted on 20, 747 participants in the U.S., aged 7th to 12th grade, shows that smoking habits have not been influenced through socialization, but rather through intentional selection because they desire to associate with teens who exhibit the behavior they want to attempt. In fact, in the model of peer influence and peer selection, there was no evidence of socialization that led to smoking. This study, in effect, shows that teenage deviant behavior such as smoking is not influenced by factors like peer pressure, but is actually a result from their own selection of friends and associates. If so, then peer pressure would indeed be an excuse and not a fact. The study also purported that parental behavior such as household smoking “has been identified as a modest predictor of adolescent smoking”(Hoffman et al., 2007). This indicates that parental behavior and peer selection are more important indicators of smoking behavior among teenagers, and that peer pressure or socialization is less important in terms of influencing behavior.

Yet, another study has shown otherwise. Researchers Wills and Cleary (1999) conducted a study on over 2000 participants in the New York Metropolitan area, between initial average ages of 11 and 12. Participants were surveyed 3 times, with 1-year intervals, about peers' substance use and their own use. The study analyzed peer-influence versus peer-selection mechanisms in adolescent tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Wills and Cleary states in the research that “It is concluded that peer influence is the primary mechanism during middle adolescence,” while there was no evidence of selection that influenced adolescents’ behavior (Cleary & Wills, 1999).

I personally believe that adolescents are particularly susceptible to peer influence or socialization because teenagers are at the age where they are particularly driven by curiosity and impressionable. At this stage of life, they want to explore and try different things in an attempt to become more mature and adult-like. They begin to learn more behaviors from their peers in their social circle and in school and shy away from learning from their parents, with an increased desire to become independent. However, there are other factors to consider, which is that parental behavior in the household also has profound effects on adolescent behavior, and that peer socialization and peer selection can be intersecting in influencing behavior.

References:

1.    Donahue P. (January 11 2012) Is Peer Pressure Real or Just an Excuse. Dr. Par’s Blog. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://parentingwithdrpar.com/is-peer-pressure-real-or-just-an-excuse/

2.    Hoffman BR, Monge PR, Chou CP, Valente TW. (2016) Perceived peer influence and peer selection on adolescent smoking. Addict Behav. 2007;32(8):1546-1554. Retrieved July 30 2020 from doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.

3.    Wills, T. A., & Cleary, S. D. (1999). Peer and adolescent substance use among 6th-9th graders: latent growth analyses of influence versus selection mechanisms. Health psychology: official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 18(5), 453–463. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10519461/

[developmentmythsexposed]

Early adulthood- are young adults happier single?

In recent years, there has been a change in how young adults view being single. According to a post on Psychologytoday.com, a survey conducted by tinder shows that millennials are “Single not sorry” (DePaulo, 2018). It’s been shown that “Young adults believe that living single is good for  work, fitness, friendship, hobbies, and unique experiences,” and that “Being single makes young adults feel many positive things (independent, happy, adventurous, empowered, proud),” and “When asked why they are currently single, young adults endorsed positive reasons much more often than negative ones.” In addition, “Young adults believe that single people are more open to new experiences and more fun than people in romantic relationships ” (DePaulo, 2018).

Research has shown support for these changing views on singlehood and happiness. In a study on Polish young adults, it shows that “results obtained in the present study support observations made by some researchers that negative associations with singlehood (e.g., popular social stereotypes describing single individuals as miserable, lonely, unhappy, insecure, more neurotic, less satisfied with their lives compared to individuals in relationships (DePaulo and Morris 2005; Greitemeyer 2009), may not be accurate,” (Adamczyk & Segrin, 2014). It’s been shown that “contemporary singlehood may represent choice, and may be associated with positive outcomes, for instance, for happiness,” indicating similar sentiments to the tinder survey.

Yet, marriage and family are generally viewed to be one of the greatest sources of happiness for people. Other research has shown contradicting results, indicating that happiness levels among young adults are in a record low and singlehood is a factor for it. According to the GSS, a nationally representative survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, young adults report to be experiencing declining happiness in recent decades, and single young adults are less happy. Married young adults are about 75 percent more likely to report that they are very happy compared with their peers who are not married. Since marriage is the closest form of social bond that fulfils people’s innate desire for relationships and social interaction, the declining of marriage of young adults may be a contributing factor to the decline of happiness of people in early adulthood.

In my opinion, the source of happiness for people in early adulthood have changed drastically in recent years. As social structure and conceptions of marriage has changed, young adults are now more willing and able to explore other forms of social bonds and relationships instead of relying mostly on marriage to be fulfilled and satisfied. Being single, although is still viewed negatively in certain places of the world, is becoming less stigmatized as marriage rates decline and more and more young adults are choosing to postpone marriage. With more single young adults becoming the norm, the societal pressure is decreasing.

 References:

1.   DePaulo, B. (October 22 2018)Don’t Even Try to Shame Millennials, Gen Z for Being Single.Psychology Toady. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/living-single/201810/don-t-even-try-shame-millennials-gen-z-being-single

2.    Adamczyk, K., Segrin, C. (March 2015) Perceived Social Support and Mental Health Among Single vs. Partnered Polish Young Adults. Curr Psychol 34, 82–96. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-014-9242-5

3.   GSS General Happiness Trend. NORC University of Chicago. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://gssdataexplorer.norc.org/trends/Gender%20&%20Marriage?measure=happy

[developmentmythsexposed]

Middle Childhood-Should parents intervene in sibling rivalry?

Growing up, we’re often told by our parents to “play nice” with our siblings. Siblings  have an important influence on children during middle childhood. 

Yet,  rivalry among siblings exists to a large extent. Sigmund Freud viewed the sibling relationship primarily in terms of rivalry for parental love. In 1899, Freud, reflecting on the fierceness of children's dreams, wrote: ‘Hostile feelings towards brothers and sisters must be far more frequent in childhood than the unseeing eye of the adult observer can perceive’.  Levy said, ‘The aggressive response to the new baby is so typical that it is safe to say it is a common feature of human life’ (Leung, 1991). 

Sibling rivalry has many consequences. In some cases, when parents attempt to create competition among children by purposefully comparing them against each other,  perceived favoritism may  damage the self esteem of siblings. Rivalry may also manifest into different forms, such as a verbal or physical attack, or persistent demands for attention. Many research has shown  that sibling rivalry has the potential to damage sibling relationships into adulthood (Conger & Little, 2010). 

However, there have also been people who state that sibling rivalry is normal and even healthy for children in middle childhood. This idea is supported by Dr Claire Hughes, author of Social Understanding and Social Lives (2011). She proposes that combative siblings learn through competition, argueing, quarrels, and learn lessons on communication and language.  In fact, Hughes states that children also gain more emotional intelligence as they learn about regulating emotions and be motivated to achieve through rivalry. Dr Tina Kretschmer, co-author of Siblings – Friends or Foes? also proposes the benefits of sibling rivalry, stating that parents should not intervene because that would stifle the children's potential to improve.

Yet, despite the belief that rivalry is natural and beneficial, I believe parents should intervene. Differences and rivalry can extend into adulthood, and hurt relationships between siblings if not handled correctly. Considering siblings are a large part of influence in the home, a constant rivalry may damage not only relationships but also cause a negative influence. Siblings may learn to attack each other verbally, physically or emotionally in an attempt to “one-up” the other, a habit that can continue to later stages of development. 

References:

1. Conger, K. J., & Little, W. M. (2010). Sibling Relationships during the Transition to Adulthood. Child development perspectives, 4(2), 87–94. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2010.00123.x

 2. Leung, A. K. D., & Robson, W. L. M. (1991). Sibling Rivalry. Clinical Pediatrics, 30(5), 314-317. Retrieved July 30 2020 from  https://doi.org/10.1177/000992289103000510

   3. 

Hughes C.(2011) Social Understanding and Social Lives. Taylor & Francis Group. Retrieved July 30 2020.

  4. Pike, Alison, Kretschmer, Tina and Dunn, Judith F (2009) Siblings - friends or foes? Psychologist, 22 (6). pp. 494-497. ISSN 0952-8229

[developmentmythsexposed]

Preschool development- potty training

Many developments at the preschool stage start to involve more parents intervention. With closely monitored parental help and support, preschoolers can then better adapt to future schooling. One pop-science topic I choose at this development stage is potty training. Potty training is particularly essential for children at this age, from night time potty training to practice and become independent eventually. Because at the preschool age of two years old to around six, the majority of children go to nursery and kindergartens. In these institutes, teachers and nurses tend to take closer care to the children in dealing with diapers, but it is significant for preschoolers to learn how to control bowels before their bladder.

 However, the age starting potty training and ways are becoming essential. One mother writes about her pediatrician suggests her start toilet training at 32 months. However, the results are not noticeable. (Rosemond, 2017) Therefore, a response to this question answered by Dr. John Rosemond suggests that potty training should be completed by 30 months. (Parsons, 2020) However, Alma Gottlieb, a professor emerita of anthropology at the University of Illinois, suggests that “There is no one-size-fits-all model of childrearing for all the world’s parents” (Parsons, 2020). This illustrates that parents’ frustration on teaching is not necessary. Instead, that mother who delayed toilet training showed an angry point to her daughter because of the failure of potty use after training. Dr. John Rosemond then describes that in the mid-50s, many parents faced the same problem as nowadays: “Harvard researchers determined that nearly 90 percent of children were not only trained but accident-free before 24 months of age”. (Rosemond, 2017) However, increasing anxiety from parents to children can cause a more significant impact. Dr. Rosemond says the frustration and anxiety will result in micromanagement and will cause children in question. Besides, to relieve anxiety and the relationship between parent and preschoolers, instead of making statements of asking children to have to use the potty, a question like “Do you have to use the potty” can be better for training. (Rosemond 2017) In addition to training, Parsons writes about spontaneous releases as experiencing a wet bed is necessary. Not using modern diapers, and also after wet sensation, placing towels, asking children to take care of themselves when they are wet, are suggested to be another way of toilet training. (Parsons, 2020) 

 Nevertheless, a solution to new training provides a new idea of triggering motives and initiative of learning. 

References:

References: 

  1.    Rosemond, John. (2017) Rosemond: Ditch doc's advice and continue with potty training. ParentGuru.com. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://www.rgj.com/story/life/2017/08/01/rosemond-ditch-docs-advice-and-continue-potty-training/529841001/ 

  2.    Parsons, Ginna. (2020) JOHN ROSEMOND: Potty-training should be complete by 30 months. Daily Journal. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://www.djournal.com/lifestyle/living/john-rosemond-potty-training-should-be-complete-by-30-months/article_f6ddaac6-bcb5-54cc-a674-83cd51370003.html

[developmentmythsexposed]

Midlife crisis- Is it Real?

Midlife crisis is almost a universally expected stage of life when people hit the age of 40 and begin to realize that life is limited and begin to become anxious about how time has flown by in their lives.  In U.S. society, there is a general expectation that many people in middle adulthood begin to experience important psychological transformations that causes that to become increasingly worried about their accomplishments and happiness. As seen on a blog post, midlife crisis is commonly considered a “looming phenomenon” which occurs“around 30 to 50.” The author of this blog, Datar (2019), states that midlife crisis is “a catastrophe, which arrives at a phase of life, where everything turns out completely different.” People in this stage of life suddenly begin “encountering strange feelings,” and “start having an outlook to the other side of your story, which remains not so bright and unsettling.” Symptoms of midlife crisis are stated on this blog, including Disturbing Mental Health , Emotional Crisis , Life in Auto-pilot Mode , Difficult to Bounce Back to Resilience , Amateurish about new approaches (Datar, 2019).

In support of this view, a research conducted by Dartmouth College Professor David Blanchflower (2020) revealed that the midlife crisis indeed exists for most people and the majority of people have purported that midlife crisis is most likely to strike at age 47. The study reviews data from 132 countries, from nearly ten million respondents collected by the American National Bureau for Economic Research. Blanchflower concluded that a u-shaped happiness curve and a bow-shaped unhappiness curve exists for most people throughout their lifespans, indicating that people in middle adulthood are in the unhappiest stage of their lives. Problems that surfaces in middle adulthood, such as income, health issues and major life events have profound impacts on the happiness of individuals in middle adulthood. Blanchflower event concludes that from the 132 countries’ data, unhappiness peaks at 47 years of age and 48 years of age for adults in developed and developing countries, suggesting there is limited variation between adults’ happiness in different parts of the world and that the midlife crisis is a universal phenomenon. Fifteen characterizations of unhappiness was used in the study, including “despair; anxiety; loneliness; sadness; strain, depression and bad nerves; phobias and panic; being downhearted; having restless sleep; losing confidence in oneself; not being able to overcome difficulties; being under strain; feeling a failure; feeling left out; feeling tense; and thinking of yourself as a worthless person” (Blanchflower, 2020). The study shows that there is a correlational relationship between happiness and age, supporting the claim of the midlife crisis.

However, a longitudinal study from the University of Alberta conducted on 1,500 high school and college students that were followed for 25 years and 14 years respectively suggests otherwise. The study reveals that people in middle-adulthood actually experience increased happiness compared to people in early adulthood (Galambos et al., 2015). The study also found that happiness was higher when participants were married, in good health and had steady income or occupations, suggesting that people in middle adulthood are happier because they have worked out many of the economic and relationship issues that younger adults struggle with, and have become more satisfied overall compared to those in early adulthood. This study suggests that there may be no such thing as a mid-life crisis after all, an attempt at debunking the general perception of the midlife crisis (Galambos et al., 2015).

In my opinion, I think the midlife crisis is a myth and its prevalence is largely due to common perception. Individuals who experience a state of psychological crisis may have their experiences magnified by others, resulting in the misconception that such a stage actually exists. Generally, happiness is related to the individual’s economic and social position, and for most people issues of instability in relationships and income are higher for younger adults. Moreover, as people age, their internal sense of security and sense of awareness for themselves grow, and hence midlife crisis is unlikely to be the case. However, factors such as globalization and consumerism may result in increased unhappiness for those who are struggling with economic and relationship stability by midlife, as they become more hopeless that they can overcome it because they have already passed the stage of early adulthood when they had more vitality and energy. Other factors such as increased health ailments, for instance coronary heart disease and increased risks for different illnesses during middle adulthood may also contribute to the mentality that middle adulthood is a difficult stage for most. Yet, these conditions are still able to be controlled and prevented with better prevention through exercise, diet, and regular checkups. Hence, I believe there is no biological basis to the midlife crisis and much of the struggles for people in middle adulthood are able to be compensated with better self-care.

References:

1.    Datar, Vaibhav. (Feb 11 2019) Is Midlife crisis for Real. The Times for India. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/the-maven-style/is-midlife-crisis-for-real/

2.    Galambos, N. L., Fang, S., Krahn, H. J., Johnson, M. D., & Lachman, M. E. (2015). Up, not down: The age curve in happiness from early adulthood to midlife in two longitudinal studies. Developmental Psychology, 51(11), 1664–1671. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000052

3.    David G. Blanchflower. (2020) Unhappiness and Age. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2020.04.022

[developmentmythsexposed]

Late adulthood controversies- assisted dying

In recent years, there has been intense controversies regarding the topic of assisted dying among elderlies, a form of euthanasia. While some consider assisted death as a compassionate way to end death for those who wish to take control of their own death, minimizing suffering from pain while protecting their dignity, others view it as suicides that do not ultimately result in the improved care of elderly people. Currently, five states in the U.S., namely Montana, Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and New Mexico have passed assisted dying in state laws, causing an upheaval of conflict between people with differing views. In a letter written towards New York State in passing the law that would have allowed assisted suicide to pass, it states the dangers of having “no accountability and oversight to prevent abuses” (Mechmann, 2018). The letter focuses on how the legislation may pose dangers to vulnerable patients, urging “the Assembly Health Committee and the Legislature as a whole to reject it” (Mechmann, 2018). The question of whether assisted suicide indeed improves quality of life for the elderly as they become nearer to their end-of-life is also sparked through an article published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, 2016. According to the study, since Oregon, once a “leader in promoting hospice care before it legalized assisted suicide,” had “its percentage improvement in utilization of hospice fell below the national average,” after legalization of assisted suicide. Additionally, the author points out that Oregon decreased the number of hospice care centers since the legislation, as it “opened only five new hospices from 2000 to 2014, at a time when 1,832 opened in other states.” This information prompts readers to feel that assisted dying may be used by many as an excuse to decrease quality treatments for elderlies and end their lives prematurely (Ballentine et al, 2016). Moreover, it argues that another of the five states that has made assisted suicide legal, Washington, “also has a hospice utilization rate below the national average” (Ballentine et al, 2016).

Yet, 36 published research has been reviewed together to show what people considered a good death. Results showed that people who were near death preferred treatments “related to not prolonging life, a belief that all available treatments were used, a sense of control over treatment choices, and euthanasia/physician-assisted suicide.” This result was also complementary to the theme of dignity found in the preferences among elderly, as “the theme of dignity consisted of being respected as an individual and maintaining independence” （Meier et al., 2016）. There seems to be also an emphasis on the importance of being pain-free, which is what can be brought on with euthanasia. The research states that “ ‘Pain-free status’ was the second most frequent core theme of good death in the sample (81%) ” （Meier et al., 2016）. This shows that despite the existing legislation on death, the preference of most people was tending towards maintaining dignity, being free from suffering and having a sense of control over their deaths.

I believe that legislation and end-of-life care for elderlies may be imperfect and controversial especially when it comes to the topic of assisted suicide. Existing inadequacies in the system may hold severe consequences, especially in the oversight of care, possibility of neglect, and how well death time is predicted. However, that is not to say that assisted suicide as an approach is negative, because it does cater to the wishes of those involved, and the lack of such options can lead to the loss of dignity and quality of life for individuals nearing death. Opposing opinions regarding assisted suicide may even find common ground in which both focus on improving the quality of life of those nearing death. To uphold this common ground well, it is imperative to see death as not only biological but also psychological, with many unintended consequences on not only the physical and emotional state of the elderlies but also the family of those who are nearing the end of their lives. It is also essential that death is not seen as a black-or-white matter or event, and that there exists a difference in the conception of death between elderly people and others around them, as how we see death changes at various points across the life span. Assessments of possibilities of impairment of emotional state, such as depression, may also be a factor that changes one’s opinion of assisted suicide. Such factors must be considered thoroughly in the decision of whether assisted suicide should be implemented. In conclusion, quality of care needs to be improved as a whole for elderly people nearing their end-of-life, considering biological and psychological aspects, and family should be aware that their experiences and opinions of death may vary greatly from those who are nearing their end of life.

 References

1.    J. Ballentine et al.(2016) Physician-Assisted Death Does Not Improve End-of-Life Care. Journal of Palliative Medicine 19 1-2. Retrieved July 30 2020.

2.    Edward T. Mechmann. (May 3 2018) Testimony on Physician-Assisted Suicide Legislation. Medical Aid in Dying Act” (A.2383-A / S.3151-A) Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://www.nyscatholic.org/testimony-on-physician-assisted-suicide-legislation/

3.    Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. (Jan 22 2016) Defining a Good Death (Successful Dying): Literature Review and a Call for Research and Public Dialogue. NCBI. Retrieved July 30 2020 fromhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4828197/

[developmentmythsexposed]

Prenatal development myths

 The prenatal stage mainly focuses on biological side of how genes and chromosomes create new lives. They form DNA and code characteristics for the baby. However, for maternity, prenatal is essential because the mother is closely linked with the unborn baby, and treating with extra cautions.

 Many discussions about this stage appear to be what pregnant mothers can be the best for the baby. One topic I have selected for this stage of development is physical activity. Some discuss physical activity is significant. Some argue that it can cause preterm birth and lead to low birth weight of the baby. Because physical activity reduces blood flow to the uterus and sends extra blood when being used, the reduced blood supply to the uterus affects the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the baby. (Schmidler, 2018)

 The website article “Can too much walk cause Preterm Labour?” describes an opinion from a professional Dr. Gia Fruscione, who works as a physical therapist and a founder of the DLVR maternity center. Dr. Fruscione thinks too much walking can lead to urine contraction, and also lists out some pre-existing diseases that will cause pregnancy moms cannot do too much walking. For example, mothers with a pre-existing medical condition such as lung disease, uncontrolled heart disease. (Philpott, 2014) Therefore, too much of walking may cause other complications and infection. This article gives a useful notification, and also direct the message of walking differ among individuals. 

 Oppositely to Dr. Fruscione’s opinion, another website article posted at Parents.com, written by Isadora Fox, dedicated a significant portion of the benefits of walking in pregnancy and how to walk from cautions to time with great details. For instance, learning walking gestures: keep head up, push shoulders back, tuck in abs, and bend arms to perpendicular (Fox, 2004) Also, Fox lists out many benefits of “why walk when you are pregnant,” as it keeps heart strong and muscles toned, which can potentially offer easier labor, ease constipation. Fox suggests walking is becoming more critical for new moms because it boosts energy, increases social interaction when outing, increases confidence as a new mom. 

 Compare the articles above, they portray different perspectives. One focuses on warning and raising awareness of what should not be done with extra attention, and another offers an idea of physical activity is essential in giving birth. Nevertheless, from the readers’ perspective, both ideas are needed by illustrating the pros and cons of walking. However, Dr. Fruscione’s idea of “too much” is vague. The popularization of science may balance two-sided arguments, not only telling what needs to take extra cautions, and also need to offer the benefit of walking for the majority. Therefore, the main focuses of two articles should aim to educate, by telling the reader that 30 to 45 minutes of walking is the best, and knowing the limit of when to stop. 

 References:

1.    Schmidler, Cindy. (May 22 2018) The Effect of Physical Activity on Preterm Birth. Health Pages.org. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://www.healthpages.org/health-a-z/effects-physical-activity-preterm-birth/

2.    Philpott, Shannon. (May 31 2014) Can Too Much Walking Cause Preterm Labour. Mom.com. Retrieved July 30 2020 fromhttps://mom.com/pregnancy/13747-can-too-much-walking-cause-preterm-labor

3.    Fox, Isadora. (August 2004) The Benefit of Walking for Pregnant and New Moms. American Baby Magazine. Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://www.parents.com/baby/health/lose-baby-weight/the-benefits-of-walking-for-pregnant-and-new-moms/