Neglected Children

It comes to mind an aunt, she resides in Mexico. I don’t judge her but she had several unhealthy relationships that left her pregnant. She had no education to be able to sustain her children. She had four children from these multiple relationships. In Mexico if you don’t have an education or own a business it is very hard to survive. Just imagine having four little ones and no father to support them. These children were under poverty. There was hardly any food at their house. They ate only one nutritious meal during the day. It was difficult for them to attend school. There was no money to buy uniforms or school supplies. The level of poverty these children went through was harmful for their development as infants to childhood. Parents or caregivers need to provide a healthy environment where Infants and children would be able to grow and explore. Too much stress during these vulnerable years may cause brain damage that leads to permanent deficit in learning and health (Berger, 2006). One of the cousins suffers from mayor depression and stress disorder. It’s been very hard for him to keep a healthy relationship with his wife. They end up getting a divorce. This is the results of too much stress hormone when he was growing up. The environment he was exposed to did not help him develop into a healthy adult. Childhood trauma creates a flood of stress that damages the brain (Berger, 2006).

In 2010 Chile went through a devastating earth quake. The earth quake left many children without homes. The article mentions that 93 percent of children were left with emotional stress. After a couple of weeks of the incident, children still recall the horrible moments they went through. To alleviate children emotional stress UNICEF provided different entertainment programs that helps these children forget the horrible moments. I am sharing part of the article (Caravan of Happiness’ Lifts spirits) of the post-quake Chile supporting the emotional recovery of children. SANTIAGO, Chile, 21 May 2010 – Nearly three months after Chile’s devastating 8.8-magnitude earthquake, a UNICEF-commissioned study has found that 93 per cent of children in the quake-affected region show signs of emotional stress. Most remember the quake in detail and many still fear another earthquake or tsunami. As Chile continues its reconstruction process, UNICEF is working to restore normalcy – and a bit of laughter – to these children’s lives. Voice of children Camilo Vega, 11, who lives in the city of Curanipe in the earthquake-affected Maule region, is among the many Chilean children showing signs of stress. “I’m worried about another tsunami so that I can save myself, my mom and my brothers and cousins,” he said. The study also showed that the majority of children are concerned with the impact of the disaster on neighboring cities, not just their own hometowns. Relief from stress In response to the needs of the many children affected psychologically by the quake, UNICEF is providing some unique support services. One such effort, a public communication campaign known as the ‘Caravan of Happiness’, aims to bring fun back into the lives of children under stress. The travelling caravan features a series of activities, including cinema, musical numbers and ‘laugh-therapy’ sessions. The project’s mobile support team will travel to about 50 affected cities, targeting some 30,000 girls and boys.