At 18 months of age, Wendy is a healthy child who seems, on the outside, to be developing along a typical pathway. Sierra went to a group for mothers with newborns, but the challenges of childcare for her older daughter were too much, and she stopped going after 3 sessions. She eventually got in to see a psychiatrist after having to wait for 4 months to get an appointment. She was prescribed Wellbutrin, and she took it for a few weeks. Not feeling any better, she stopped taking the medication.
Sierra was overwhelmed with the demands of caring for her two children and couldn't find any time for herself - to exercise or just to be. By the time the kids were in bed at night, she was exhausted. On top of it all, she couldn't help but think that Wendy didn't like her. Sometimes Wendy gave her that "look" that Sierra thought was like she was glaring at her mother. She knew she loved her daughter, but she didn't feel that her daughter loved her.
* Outline the typical developmental milestones for an 18 month old child. Be sure to include physical, cognitive, social, and emotional domains.
* Describe the manner in which typical anti-depressants like Wellbutrin work in the brain. How long does it take for them to be effective? In other words, did Sierra perhaps stop taking the medication too quickly?
* From the standpoint of parent-child attachment, what are the risks associated with parental (in this case maternal) depression? In other words, if Sierra is clinically depressed, to what extent will she be able to respond to Wendy? Cite information from the literature on attachment. Describe the basic attachment styles.
DECISION POINT ::: What kind of attachment does Wendy develop with her mother?
Wendy Marianna: Week 3
ReplyDeleteGroup 5: Kelsey Dill, Anne Huber, Alexa Painter, Staci Wassinger
1. Outline the typical developmental milestones for an 18 month old child. Be sure to include physical, cognitive, social, and emotional domains.
A typical 18 month old child should reach many physical, cognitive, social, and emotional milestones. Physically an 18 month old child can walk by themselves, run (falling sometimes), climb onto a chair, squat to pick up toys, kick a ball, climb up chairs, and feed himself or herself. They also usually get their first molars at this age, pick items up using a pincer grasp, press buttons, scribble on paper, build a tower with three or four blocks, and tend to not nap as often. Cognitively an 18 month old child now has a sense of self, that is he or she sees himself or herself as a separate person from others. In addition, at this age children can show affection, identify common objects and people, point to different body parts, sit and listen to a story, and use between 6-40 words mixed with their own language. On the social and emotional level, 18 month olds begin to pretend play and enjoy copying or imitating what other people do. Typically at this age kids participate in either solitary play, where they play alone, or in parallel play, where they play along side of other children but do not interact with one another. Many 18 month olds like to show off for adults and look to see adults’ reactions when they do something. Children at this age can also get frustrated easily and throw temper tantrums.
Sources:
Child Development Guide. (n.d.) 18 month child development. Retrieved on January 30, 2012, from http://www.child-development-guide.com/18-month-child-development.html
Healthwise. (2011). Milestones for an 18-month-old child. Retrieved on January 30, 2012, from http://children.webmd.com/milestones-for-an-18-month-old-child
2. Describe the manner in which typical anti-depressants like Wellbutrin work in the brain. How long does it take for them to be effective? In other words, did Sierra perhaps stop taking the medication too quickly?
ReplyDeleteWellbutrin, a generic brand for the anti-depressant Bupropion, works by increasing activity in necessary regions of the brain. Unlike anti-depressants such as Prozac or Zoloft, which are designed to work with serotonin, Wellbutrin reacts with dopamine and norepinephrine. Because of the unique nature of this anti-depressant it may be effective in patients where drugs like Zoloft or Prozac have failed. According to the United States National Library of Medicine, Wellbutrin may take up to four weeks to begin working. It is dangerous to either stop taking the medication because you are feeling better, or to stop taking it because you feel no effect. The dosage may need to be heightened or lessened, so it is important to discuss with your doctor before taking any action. Based upon the information gathered, Sierra stopped taking her medication too early. Sierra likely did not give the Wellbutrin enough time to begin working, or perhaps her daily dosage was not high enough. It is also possible that Sierra needs an anti-depressant that targets Serotonin instead. Consulting with her doctor is very important; depression that goes untreated can become very dangerous.
Bupropion. (2009). U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000970/
Stringer, K. (2012). Kathi’s mental health review: What is wellbutrin. ToddlerTime Network.
Retrieved from http://www.toddlertime.com/med/wellbutrin.htm
3. From the standpoint of parent-child attachment, what are the risks associated with parental (in this case maternal) depression? In other words, if Sierra is clinically depressed, to what extent will she be able to respond to Wendy? Cite information from the literature on attachment. Describe the basic attachment styles.
ReplyDeleteThere are four basic attachment styles. The first is safe haven, when the child feels threatened or afraid he or she can return to the caregiver for comfort and soothing. Secure base is where the caregiver provides a secure and dependable base for the child to explore the world and surrounding environment. The third type of attachment is known as proximity maintenance where the child strives to stay near the caregiver, keeping the child safe. The fourth is separation distress, where anxiety occurs in the absence of the attachment figure. If Sierra is clinically depressed, however, she will not be able to respond to Wendy very well, and there are many effects associated with this. For example, Wendy is at risk for developing negative behavior in later childhood and throughout her life. Children associated with unattached mothers are at risk for developing oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) where frequent displays of attachment problems are common. Maternal depression has also been strongly linked to negative early childhood relationships, along with reduced language ability, which is key to early school success. Overall, because Sierra is depressed, Wendy is at risk for delays in her early behavioral, cognitive, and social and emotional functioning.
Knitzer, J., Theberge, S., & Johnson, K. (n.d.). Reducing maternal depression and its
impact on young children . Project Thrive . Retrieved February 1, 2012, from
http://www.nccp.org/publications/pdf/t
DECISION POINT ::: What kind of attachment does Wendy develop with her mother?
ReplyDeleteFrom the blog, the kind of attachment Wendy develops with her mother seems to be slim. With several classifications of “attachment” it is hard to tell precisely which fits Wendy’s interactions with her mother. Because Sierra feels as though Wendy dislikes her and gives her a seemingly emotionless expression, Wendy may be developing an anxious-avoidant insecure attachment. This type of attachment is seen when children show minimal “overt indications of an emotional response” to the coming and going of their caregivers. Wendy has likely been sensing Sierra’s depression, and as a toddler is learning to mimic her apathetic expression. Wendy may also show disconnection since Sierra may unknowingly express her depression towards her children. If Sierra acknowledges the importance of taking her medication, attending therapy and support group sessions, she will be happier. This happiness will then be expressed around her children, and her relationship with Wendy will surely improve. Then, Wendy may be able to show signs of happiness toward her mother, and develop a more secure attachment. If Sierra takes the steps necessary to take care of her depression and her own emotions, then she may start to see progress in the relationship between her and her children.
Attachment in children. (2012 January 3). Wikipedia. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_in_children