Cycle of Education & Health in Mothers and Children
Many researchers and writers have found and discussed a relationship between the educational level achieved by a mother, and the health of their child (Blunch 2012, Buor 2003). Having an education leads a mother to be more aware of opportunities available to her and how to access them or ask for help from those who can aid her. Specifically, a child is more likely to be vaccinated, be born a healthy weight (mother has access to nutrition information for her and her child) and maintains a healthy growth and development path), and develop at a normal rate both physically and mentally (Blunch 2012).
I witnessed this relationship between the education of a mother, and the health of a child, firsthand. My caretaker, who cooked, cleaned, and generally watched over us, attended school through junior secondary school. Though she was unable to attend secondary school due to the expense of school fees, she has remained active in the community and learned much from others. Her child, who is now in the upper levels of primary school, cut her foot very badly during the summer, and it quickly became very swollen. Mary knew that it was important to go see a doctor right away, and on the mean time wrapped the foot up as well as possible, bought some antibiotics from a nearby store, and made sure that her daughter stayed off of her feet as much as possible. In contrast, one of our neighbors became pregnant at a very young age, and was not able to complete her schooling all the way through junior secondary school. She has a son of about six years of age, and a daughter who is probably three or four years old. Her daughter, Essie, is by far the cutest girl I have ever seen; she is also the only little girl I have seen with the protruding belly, which is a result of nutrient deficiency. With the help of family and community members, Rebecca was able to gain access to a nutrient supplement to give Essie, but I am not confident that this would have taken place without the aid of her neighbors. Rebecca, as well as other mothers throughout the village with underdeveloped children, could most certainly benefit from a class on nutrition for themselves and their children.
I witnessed this relationship between the education of a mother, and the health of a child, firsthand. My caretaker, who cooked, cleaned, and generally watched over us, attended school through junior secondary school. Though she was unable to attend secondary school due to the expense of school fees, she has remained active in the community and learned much from others. Her child, who is now in the upper levels of primary school, cut her foot very badly during the summer, and it quickly became very swollen. Mary knew that it was important to go see a doctor right away, and on the mean time wrapped the foot up as well as possible, bought some antibiotics from a nearby store, and made sure that her daughter stayed off of her feet as much as possible. In contrast, one of our neighbors became pregnant at a very young age, and was not able to complete her schooling all the way through junior secondary school. She has a son of about six years of age, and a daughter who is probably three or four years old. Her daughter, Essie, is by far the cutest girl I have ever seen; she is also the only little girl I have seen with the protruding belly, which is a result of nutrient deficiency. With the help of family and community members, Rebecca was able to gain access to a nutrient supplement to give Essie, but I am not confident that this would have taken place without the aid of her neighbors. Rebecca, as well as other mothers throughout the village with underdeveloped children, could most certainly benefit from a class on nutrition for themselves and their children.