Professional Development

When studying and being involved in Early Childhood Education there are a lot of things to be considered. I feel in relation to me professional development is the effects of poverty in early childhood. I gained some insight from the article, Poverty Effects on Early Childhood. The article discussed the realms of development, poverty can impede such as: IQ does not remain stable over time and is in fact influenced by environmental factors. According to research, children in poverty tend to have reduced IQs when compared to those with higher economic status. This disparity may begin in the womb; brain development is affected by prenatal maternal health, which is influenced by the economic status of the mother. Academic Performance Several studies over the past two decades have pointed out the relationship between academic performance and economic status. Children in poverty academically under-perform compared to children from middle-class or wealthy backgrounds. Extreme poverty may interfere with early childhood development of linguistic, spatial and mathematical skills, making it difficult for children to perform well in the classroom. Health and Mortality Extreme poverty compromises the physical safety and health of children. Children in poverty experience relatively high rates of diabetes, lead poisoning and dehydration. There is also increased risk of mortality from treatable conditions such as dehydration or pneumonia. Children in poverty typically lack the resources to combat these conditions rigorously. Compensating Factors The home environment can offer certain compensating factors that diminish the negative impact of poverty. Children can experience proper development mentally and physically in stable homes with strong familial relationships. The compensating factors of a loving home can help ensure strong childhood development despite economic circumstances. Discussing the factors would help me in the early childhood field because it would make more aware and conscious of what occurs in Early Childhood.