Human development can be explained in terms of physical, psychological, and cognitive development. Several environmental factors can impact the prenatal development of a fetus. In the case study of Sam, several environmental factors might affect Sam’s development.
Environmental Factors that may Affect Sam’s Development
Teratogens: - teratogens are described as environmental substances that may have harmful effects on the developing fetus. The teratogens may be physical, chemical, or biological. The level of exposure significantly affects the extent of damage caused to the fetus. Sam's mother used alcohol during her pregnancy period, and this may have exposed Sam to this detrimental teratogen. Studies have shown that alcohol use during pregnancy is the leading cause of preventable mental disabilities in children across the United States. Also, excessive maternal drinking may cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which may affect the physical and cognitive development (Charness, Riley, & Sowell, 2016). During the last stages of fetal development, Sam's mother reportedly increased alcohol consumption, which may adversely affect Sam's development.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Maternal Stress and Depression: - Prenatal stress felt by the mother may have negative effects on fetal development. Stress causes physiological changes in the body of the expectant mother, and this may harm the developing fetus (Entringer, Buss, & Wadhwa, 2015). In Sam’s case, his mother experienced stressful periods when her husband lost his job. She was probably concerned about the financial stability of the family bearing in mind she would soon stop working as well. This may have triggered physiological changes in her body, which may have impacted both the physical and psychological development of the fetus (Grace, Bulsara, Robinson, & Hands, 2016). This could explain the fussy eating habit and insomnia in Sam. Also, Sam’s mother indulged in alcoholism a behavior that was triggered by the prenatal stress she was experiencing.
Parenting Factors: - the other factor that is likely to affect Sam’s development is the capacity of his mother to give him parental care. Personalized care from the mother is crucial during the early years of a child’s development. The mother plays a critical role in the language and cognitive development of the child during these early stages of development (Charness, Riley, & Sowell, 2016). In Sam's case, his mother contemplates going back to work earlier and leave Sam under the care of his grandmother. This may deny Sam the personalized parental care that is essential in the cognitive development of the child.
Best and Worst Case Scenario for Sam’s Short-term Development
The best case scenario in Sam's short-term development outcome is that he will have Jane's mother to take care of him during the early stages of development. Also, Sam's father, who has lost his job, may be present for Sam during Sam's short-term development. The fact that Roberto gets along with his mother-in-law means that both of them can assist Sam in his short-term development. The worst-case scenario in Sam's short term development is that he may have delayed cognitive and language development. This may be caused by a lack of personalized maternal care from his mother, who is likely to be absent most of the time if she goes back to work. Also, the fact that Sam's mother excessively used alcohol during the last trimester of her pregnancy may significantly affect Sam's behavioral and cognitive development (Charness, Riley, & Sowell, 2016). Sam's mother as a caregiver to the developing infant is questionable; hence, Sam may experience extensive delays in short-term development.
References
Charness, M. E., Riley, E. P., & Sowell, E. R. (2016). Drinking during pregnancy and the developing brain: is any amount safe?. Trends in cognitive sciences, 20(2), 80-82.
Entringer, S., Buss, C., & Wadhwa, P. D. (2015). Prenatal stress, development, health, and disease risk: A psychobiological perspective—2015 Curt Richter Award Paper. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 62, 366-375.
Grace, T., Bulsara, M., Robinson, M., & Hands, B. (2016). The impact of maternal gestational stress on motor development in late childhood and adolescence: a longitudinal study. Child development, 87(1), 211-220.
