Racism as a Stressor

Racism is defined as a "belief that inherent differences among various human races  determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others" (Dictionary,2013). Although I have never experienced any racism being used against me, doesn't mean that I have never wondered if the color of my skin prevented me from being offered specifically a career opportunity. 

Because my oldest has displayed an interest in history, we recently read a book title "Going Someplace Special" by Patricia C Mckissack and Jerry Pinkney. Although this setting was fictionalized, the events were taken from the authors own childhood (Mckissack, P.C., 2001). This book takes place during a time were Jim Crow Laws enforced segregation. This meant that African American and Caucasians weren't allowed to drink from the same water fountain or sit together on the bus. After reading this book with my children, they were shocked. My oldest son said, "Ma does that mean I wouldn't have been able to talk to my friend John because he's another race?"  I said, "Yes." My son then says, "Well I'm glad I wasn't born back then." 

It is my hope that none of our children will be judged by the color of there skin. I can read all the books their is concerning this issue, but actually experiencing racism will never prepare anyone for the hurt they may feel if ever on the receiving end of such treatment. 

Mckissack, P.C. & Pinkney, J. (2001). Goin' someplace special. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

Dictionary. (2013). Racism. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism 

Why are vaccines important?

·         Newborn babies are immune to many diseases because they have antibodies they got from their mothers. However, this immunity goes away during the first year of life. Also, young children do not have this "maternal immunity" against some diseases, such as whooping cough.

·         If an unvaccinated child is exposed to a disease germ, the child's body may not be strong enough to fight the disease. Before vaccines, many children died from diseases that vaccines now prevent, such as whooping cough, measles, and polio. Those same germs exist today, but because babies are now protected by vaccines, we do not see these diseases nearly as often.

·         Immunizing individual children also helps to protect the health of our community, especially those people who cannot be immunized. These include children who are too young to be vaccinated (for example, children less than a year old cannot receive the measles vaccine but can be infected by the measles virus), those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons (for example, children with leukemia), and those who cannot make an adequate response to vaccination.

Preventable Diseases in the U.S when vaccinated!

Anthrax

Cervical Cancer (Human Papillomavirus)

Diphtheria

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Influenza (Flu)

Japanese encephalitis (JE)

Lyme disease

Lyme disease vaccine no longer available in the United States.

Measles

Meningococcal

Monkeypox

There is NO monkeypox vaccine. The smallpox vaccine is used for this disease.

Mumps

Pertussis

Pneumococcal

Polio

Rabies

Rotavirus

Rubella

Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

Smallpox

Tetanus

Typhoid

Tuberculosis (TB)

Varicella (Chickenpox)

Yellow Fever (CDC, 2013)

Vaccination in South Korea

In South Korea, there are eight recommended vaccinations for children from birth until they are 12 years old. These vaccinations are free at public health centers, participating pediatric practices and hospitals. For other vaccinations, parents may contact a private pediatrician practice.

The eight recommended vaccinations are:

Tuberculosis

Hepatitis B

Diptheria, tetanus, whooping cough

Polio

Measles, mumps, rubella

Chickenpox

Japanese encephalitis

Influenza (AngoInfo, 2013).

References

AngoIngo. (2013). Bringing up toddlers: Vaccinations. Retrieved from http://southkorea.angloinfo.com/family/toddlers/

Center for Disease Control and Preventiion. (2013). Why are vaccines so important? Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/howvpd.htm#why

My Personal Birthing Experiences

With all three of my children, I look forward to my prenatal care doctor visits. With the birth of my first son, it seemed as if I was in labor for what felt like forever. I went to the hospital 3 times over the course of 2 days and was sent home each time because the nurse said I wasn't in enough pain. Her exact words were “Oh honey you are smiling too much to be in true labor.”

The birth of my second child (another boy) was very easy going. The lesson that I learned from having my first child was to do lots of walking. Because I was so active throughout my pregnancy, I gave birth the same night that I went into labor.

Now the birth of my third child, my daughter, was very interesting because I was at work leaking fluid and didn’t even realize it. During my lunch hour, I even went home to change my clothes and then returned to work. It was 1:00 p.m. when I decided to call my doctor and was told to come in right away. My doctor was tickled with me because she felt like I should've known that my water had broken. To make a long story short, I was told to go to the hospital right away and after given an epidural, I delivered my little girl.

What makes each of them even more memorable is that my first son was born weighing 9 lbs. The birth of my second son was very easy because after 1 push he was here. The birth of my daughter was special to me because she is my first daughter also known as my pretty little lady.

Vietnamese

While in the U.S, the father is encourage to be a part of the birthing experience, in Vietnam this is not the case. The husbands are encouraged to wait in the lobby until after the birth while to doctor and/or nurse assists the mother. In the U.S a baby’s first cry is for the purpose of getting oxygen into the infant’s lungs. In Vietnam, an infant’s first cry signifies that the infant has a soul (LaBorde, 2010).

Reference

Laborde, P. (2010). Vietnamese cultural profile. Retrieved from http://ethnomed.org/culture/vietnamese/vietnamese-cultural-profile