The Effects of Institutionalization on the Development of Young Children

Since I have received no response from the first 3 people who I emailed in an attempt to initiate contact with early childhood professionals from other countries, I have emailed the following people.

Regina Sabaliauskiene (Lithuania)

Yvonne Dionne (Canada)

Carmin Lica (Romania)

Sarah Klaus (Netherlands)

As of now, I’ve received no responses, but I am hopeful.

I followed a link on the Harvard University Global Children’s Initiative website to the reprint of an article, “The Deprived Human Brain”. The article told of the plight of institutionalized children in Romania during the rule of Ceausescu and the revelations that were made after Ceausescu’s execution and the country’s subsequent revolution (Nelson, et al.,2009).

In 1966, Nicolai Ceausescu, the communist dictator of Romania determined that the best way for Romania to gain power on a global scale was to increase its economic production. This required a greater amount of human capital. In order to increase the population of Romania, Ceausescu, made contraception and abortion illegal and taxed families who had produced fewer than five children.  As a result, families produced more children than they could support. The number of abandoned children increased and the country’s system of state-run institutions grew. The handing over of children to state-run institutions no longer held a negative stigma in Romanian culture, in fact the government endorsed the practice. The babies in the orphanages were confined in their cribs, often with filthy bedding and minimal sensory stimulation. The staff to infant ratios were, at best, 1:15. The staff had little education and no knowledge of child development. As the children grew, they experienced a very strictly scheduled lifestyle with many children in a group toileting together, wearing the same clothing, scheduled meals and identical haircuts regardless of gender. After the revolution, some children were adopted by westerners. They were found to be suffering from the effects of malnutrition and neglect:  subpar physical development, low cognitive and language development, behavioral challenges including hyperactivity, attachment disorders, and difficulty regulating attention and emotion (Nelson, et al., 2009).

The plight of the children in Romanian orphanages spurred studies regarding the effects of institutionalization on young children. It was determined that the length of a child’s stay in an institution is directly proportional to the likelihood of the child incurring developmental delays. The authors make the point that, while genetics are key in postnatal development, a child’s experiences have the greatest effect on development.  Brain synapses are mass produced in the infant brain. Brain synapses must be used or they will be lost via pruning. If an infant receives less than average stimulation, those synapses will be pruned. Development occurs during specific times in a child’s life. If the stimuli are not present during those times, the moment will pass for that specific type of development.  Institutionalized children receive less tactile stimulation because they are less likely to be held and are less likely to develop a lasting relationship with an adult caregiver. Attachment disorders, cognitive and language disorders along with behavioral challenges and delayed physical development are the most typical effects of a child’s institutionalization. These conditions improved steadily after the child was placed in a quality foster or adoptive home (Nelson, et al., 2009).

In 2006, it was estimated that eight million children were living in institutions worldwide. The news of the children in Romanian orphanages and subsequent studies precipitated efforts to buffer the existence of young children in institutions. In Sudan, an organization called Hope and Homes for Children has created a foster care and adoption system that is compatible with Muslim culture and customs. In Bulgaria, Worldwide Orphans Foundation employs retired women who have education and experience in healthcare, childcare or elementary education as professional Grannies. The Grannies work with one or two individual children living in institutions for five hours per day, five days per week. The Grannies also work with psychologists to best plan how to meet needs of the children and seek advice. The Grannies also keep records of the child’s growth, accomplishments and activities. In China, Fuling Kids International’s goal is to have every institutionalized child placed with a trained foster family until he is adopted. The group raises money and sends volunteers to provide individualized care for children in orphanages. First Hugs Infant Nurture Program, also in China, employs trained Aunties to work eight hours per day caring for specifically assigned babies in a room that is tailored to the infants’play and skill development (Nelson, et al., 2009).

Reference

Nelson, C., Furtado, E., Fox, N. Zeanah, C. (2009) The Deprived Human Brain. American Scientist.Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/search/?cx=001599101917928556767%3Acfzjkqwnev8&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=The+Deprived+Human+Brain&siteurl=developingchild.harvard.edu%2Findex.php%2Factivities%2Fglobal_initiative%2F#510