Pregnancy, Birth, Newborn, and Infancy
Hello and welcome to the Unit 3 Audio Discussion Board. In unit 3, the focus is on pregnancy, birth, the newborn and infancy. As a human service professional, it is important to be knowledgeable about development during this time so that relevant interventions and support can be provided to clients.
For the audio discussion board, you will be reviewing a case study on pages 114-116 of your text. The case study follows parents Jessica, Travis and their newborn son, Eric who was born prematurely. Due to his premature birth, Eric remained in the hospital, in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit (NICU) for 5 weeks. After you thoroughly review the case study, you will watch a video that describes the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. Home visiting programs allow human service professionals to not only assess their clients, but to see them in their home environment, which will highlight strengths and areas where resources and support might be needed. Imagine that you are a home visitor and have been assigned to Jessica, Travis and Eric. You have scheduled an appointment to visit them the week after Eric is released from the NICU.
Please answer the following questions:
What are your top three concerns regarding this family? Discuss each concern.
What 3 questions would you like to ask Jessica and Travis?
Describe at least 1 resource that you would recommend for this family. Discuss how the resource will benefit the family.
Discuss two ways that a home visiting program would benefit this family.
Unit 3 Discussion Human Behavior
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Unit 3 Discussion Human Behavior
Top Three Concerns Regarding this Family
Parent-Infant Bonding and Interaction: Jessica and Travis struggle to bond with their premature baby, Eric. They fear, worry, and feel inadequate in caring for their infant. This issue is crucial since it affects Eric's emotional growth and attachment.
Financial Strain: Jessica spent half her maternity leave on bed rest and visiting Eric in the NICU daily, making her job security dubious. Travis is the primary breadwinner, so the family worries about home payments and infant requirements. Financial stress can harm parents and the family.
The long-term prognosis for Eric: Eric's early delivery and medical difficulties raise questions about his long-term health and development. Because of this uncertainty, Jessica and Travis may panic and struggle to plan and parent.
Questions for Jessica and Travis
1. How has experiencing two miscarriages altered your parenting expectations for Eric?
2. Can you describe your NICU experiences with Eric and any difficulties you've had bonding?
3. What are your immediate and long-term health and development worries and hopes for Eric, and how are you handling his prognosis uncertainty?
Recommended Resource for the Family
I suggest the family contact their local Early Intervention Program. Low-birth-weight moms can benefit from this community-based initiative. The EIP usually provides these benefits: