As is apparent from your studies these past two weeks, trends and issues affecting school-age children are often fundamentally intertwined. A child's family, culture, or socioeconomic status, for example, may play a role in his or her struggles with obesity, just as a child's diagnosis of autism would have implications for his or her family's relationships. The trends and issues you study in this course all have complex causes and complex ramifications relating to many different facets of life. In this assignment, you will begin to explore these links and their implications for professionals who work with school-age children.
To begin this assignment, choose one specific trend or issue relating to children's health. It can be one that you studied in this course (i.e., obesity, autism, ADHD), or it can be another children's health trend or issue of interest to you. Using the Walden Library, Internet, and/or print resources, locate a recent article or research study that draws a connection between your chosen health trend/issue and the family or peer relationships of children.
I chose for this paper to be about autism
write a 3- to 4-page summary and analysis of the article that includes responses to the following questions:
What specific connection(s) does the article draw between your chosen health trend/issue and a trend/issue related to children's family or peer relationships? Provide a brief summary.
Do these findings surprise you? Do they confirm what you already suspected? Explain.
What are the implications of these findings for practice in schools, homes, youth programs, etc.? Identify and describe at least two specific implications including at least one for professionals who work with school-age children in a setting of your choice.
Do you think further research is needed? If so, why, and what kind? If not, why not?
Web Resource: Authism Speaks. (2015). What We've Learned About Autism. Retrieved from https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism
Article: Baker, P. H., Murray, M., Murray-Slutsky, C., & Paris, B. (2010). Faces of autism. Educational Leadership, 68(2), 40-45.
Retrieved from the Academic Search Complete database.
In this article, the authors describe different ways that autism spectrum disorders can present themselves in students. Focus on the wide range of behaviors that may be associated with autism spectrum disorders as well as strategies professionals who work with children with autism spectrum disorders can employ.
Article: Saunders, J. (2010). Overwhelmed by autism. State Legislatures, 36(9), 36-39.
Retrieved from the Academic Search Complete database.
In this article, Jennifer Saunders discusses financial and policy implications of increases in the number of children afflicted with autism in the U.S. Focus on the wide-ranging effects autism can have on families as well as how state and federal legislation can influence services provided to these families.
Article: Belli, B. (2010). The search for autism's missing piece. E: The Environmental Magazine, 21(1), 24-32.
Retrieved from the Academic Search Complete database.
Multimedia: "Autism Timeline"
Click here to access this piece.
Multimedia: "ADHD Timeline"
Click here to access this piece.
Optional Resources
Website: Autism Speaks
http://www.autismspeaks.org/
Website: Autism Society of America
http://www.autism-society.org/