Childhood Stress

Several families I know have been affected by war.  The families have all had their fathers deployed with having small children.  The impact on the chidlrne varied with the ages of the children.  When the children were young with the father deployed, it led to more melt downs and tantrums in the first few months, especially if the daily routines were interrupted or changed.  After a while things improved.  When the father returned after being gone roughly a year, it took a little while for them to warm back up to them if they were very young.  The families that had children in elementary school, several had noticed changes in attitude, behavior, and academics of the children.  As time went on the families became more unified and close as the toll of dad being gone started affecting them.  The older children of one family joined into military children support groups and this really helped them cope with the fears and issues they had of their dad being gone.  The boys of one family stepped up to lead the role of the man of the house while dad was gone as well. 

Africa houses 70% of adults and 80% of all the children in the world that have AIDS.  With that many people suffering from the disease there are many stressors that are placed upon the children.  The first is that many children are losing their parents to the disease.  If not losing or lost one, they are often losing both.  Then they are either orphaned or taken in by family members, who often also being affected by the disease.  The children are losing other family members and friends to the disease that can also cause stress.  When children lose a parent not only is the emotional loss of a parent but they are also now at a much higher risk for poverty, if not already there, or going further into poverty if it was the bread winner that has passed in the long run. Some places actually give families a government stipend when a life is lost.  Other stressors placed upon the children are that they are now responsible for the agricultural family responsibilities.  This includes both tending to the livestock and the crops.  Many children have not yet had to learn this responsibility yet. Some countries have implemented extension programs to help these children learn the skills needed to care for the animals and grow the crops.  Education and protection is the best way to help these children cope with the loss of their loved ones and to protect themselves in the future. 

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