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.
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.
After you have chosen the article, 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?