EDUC 8853: Course Project - Prenatal Care and Health

For my course project, I have chosen the challenge area of prenatal risk factors with the subtopic of health. Prenatal health is a factor in a child’s development and affects their school readiness and their learning. American babies, compared with those from other developed nations, are receiving inadequate prenatal care and less time at home with their parents during the first year of life (Lally, 2010). I am interested in assisting the women in my community receive quality prenatal care so that they have a safe pregnancy and so that their child has the best opportunity to be healthy, happy, and successful. In addition, I believe early childhood education is the foundation to a child’s overall education and a mom who has quality prenatal care and has assistance for their child’s development and learning from age birth to three, their child will be successful and ready to enter Pre-K or K. It is during the first few years of life that early experience starts shaping the foundational learning structures of the brain (Lally, 2010). 

I chose this topic/challenge area because I am personally and professionally interested in this topic and it is an area I feel I can make positive social change occur in my community. Prenatal care and health are important for a child’s development and school readiness. Research has shown that cognitive and behavioral problems and school readiness are related to prenatal care and health (Reichman, 2005). 

As an early childhood educator I have taught Pre-K, and I have worked with the Parents as Teachers Liaison in my library when I was an elementary school librarian. In both situations I worked with the parents and children and I saw a need to help parents and children before they came to school. I believe good prenatal care and health is an important piece to a child's development and their education.

One question I have is, there are wonderful resources for pregnant women and for women with young children available in Fort Worth, Texas, how can I help women access these resources? 

Thank you and I look forward to learning from my professor and colleagues as we research our topics.

References

Lally, J. (2010). School readiness begins in infancy. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(3), 17-21. Retrieved from the Walden University Library databases at http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=fa457db9-fce4-46d3-8864-866553ad250c%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4103

Reichman, N.E. (2005). Low birth weight and school readiness. Future of Children, 15(1), 91-116. Retrieved from the Walden University Library databases at http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ795846