Genetic Conditions affecting Child Development
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Genetic Conditions affecting Child Development
Genetics is a field of biology that deals with the study of genes helping us in understanding them in their makeup and functions. Genes could be defined as the process of living organisms inheriting traits and features from their ancestors. This could be explained in a typical example of why children look like their parents. That’s genetics. As a result, genetic conditions play a huge role in influencing the developmental process of an individual. Where certain undesirable genetic traits get passed on to the offspring from the parent, the child may experience developmental challenges, which in turn has a profound effect on the quality of life they lead in the future. The converse is also true. Children who inherit quality genetic traits from their ancestors are better positioned to lead healthy and quality lives based on their lifestyle choices and other factors. Genetic conditions, therefore, play a significant role in the developmental process by investing in this field of research, it will be possible to come up with a better understanding as well as improved measures that will help us in addressing the various genetic conditions that affect development.
The above topic is an essential area of study as genetic conditions have significant effects on the child’s developmental process. Common genetic diseases include; downy syndrome, which is characterized by symptoms such as; thick tongue, round face, and squinted eyes, and in some instances, intellectual impliedness. The condition is caused by having three chromosomes at the site of the 21st chromosomes instead of the usual two (Krumins, 2020). The disease affects the child’s developmental process through slowed learning and growth as well as delayed speech. Another common genetic condition that affects the developmental process in a young child is the abnormalities in the sex chromosomes. For instance, “Kleinfelter’s syndrome is caused by an extra X chromosome and is characterized by a lack of development of the secondary sex characteristics and as well as learning disabilities” (“Klinefelter syndrome – Symptoms and causes,” 2020). These genetic disorders interfere with the normal developmental processes, and the affected children may require specialized care and treatment. It is, therefore, necessary that further research gets carried out in this field to come up with alternatives and solutions that could help children affected by these conditions to lead an almost if not entirely normal life.
Research Findings summary
The prevalence of genetic conditions in children is relatively high, and in the recent past, there has been an increase in the number of hereditary cases reported and diagnosed. This has been made possible by improved science and modern medicine, which has made it possible to discover some new and rare genetic conditions that were initially not identified. It is now identified that close to 20% of the society’s population has mutations related to genetic disorders (Krumins, 2020). However, due to the mild severity of these mutations, they may often go unnoticed, and the afflicted individual may lead a relatively normal life.
However, more profound genetic conditions have always taken center stage in the study of genetic conditions and how they affect the developmental process in a child. The most common effect of the genetic conditions is on the social sphere where the developmental process may get slowed or hampered, thereby making it difficult for the affected child to interact and take part in certain activities together. Most genetic conditions, such as downy syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, among others, have also been identified to come along with intellectual impairments. As a result, the mental developmental process of the affected child does not take place normally, and often these children may not match the intellectual capabilities of other normal children their age.
Another effect on the developmental process that genetic conditions bring along is the exhibition of a poor understanding of the various social interaction conventions. For instance, Children affected by the Prader-Willi genetic disorder may tend to display aggressive social behavior where they may become irritable and unsociable with other children of the same age (“Genetic Disorders – Kid Sense Child Development,” 2020). This has been closely linked to the esteem issues that these children may suffer from, such as obesity and lack of height. The condition is caused by the partial deletion of chromosome 15 that gets passed down by the father. These characters may, therefore, make the child become less sociable, and other children around them may not want to interact with them. As a result, the social developmental process of the child becomes affected and slowed down as they may often face isolation and withdrawal during social activities.
The child’s developmental process also takes into account the development of secondary sexual characteristics. For instance, “Kleinfelter’s syndrome is caused by an extra X chromosome and is characterized by a lack of development of the secondary sex characteristics and as well as learning disabilities” (“Genetics Are Just One Part of How Children Develop,” 2020). Although the condition is not inherited, it occurs as a result of a random genetic error that may occur after the conception process. For the male children affected by Kleinfelter’s syndrome, they may exhibit symptoms such as; lower testosterone levels, reduced muscle mass, and also lesser facial and body hair (“Klinefelter syndrome – Symptoms and causes,” 2020). A vast majority of men affected by this condition produce little or no sperm at all. The disease has been associated with the recent increase in transgender orientations, where some male individuals have been identified to change their gender orientation to females.
These and many other genetic conditions have been identified to significantly affect the developmental process from childhood all the way to adolescence, early adulthood, and eventually to the late adulthood stage. While most genetic conditions may not be fully treatable using the various medical approaches, there are certain measures that could be put in place to reduce the severity of the negative effects of these conditions. For instance, the use of therapeutic measures has been identified to be a good approach in helping the child to cope with the challenges that come with the underlying genetic condition. The provision of sufficient motivation for children with intellectual impairments resulting from genetic conditions could help the affected child to develop resilience and push through with solving a particular problem irrespective of the challenges that they may come across in the process.
Problem identification
From the research conducted, the social developmental aspect is the key problem that most children suffering from genetic disorders have been identified to be experiencing. This has been contributed to by the fact that intellectual impairment often comes with most of the genetic conditions. As a result, the affected child’s social development process does not take place at a normal pace in comparison to other children. The social life of children suffering from genetic disorders is therefore different, and they may fail to understand the various conventions of social interactions. Sometimes the display of aggressive behavior makes these children less likely to constructively take part in play activities with other children. The separation and withdrawal is, therefore, a major contributing factor to the identified problem of social development that children with genetic conditions experience.
Another major problem identified is the challenges that parents with children suffering from genetic conditions experience. Due to the lack of exposure on the best ways to handle a child with genetic disorders as well as the specialized attention that these children may require, most parents experience difficulty in raising these children in an appropriate way. For instance, due to intellectual impairments, the child may require special education facilitation, which may be expensive. In some instances, parents with children suffering from genetic conditions that make it difficult for them to understand intellectual concepts have been identified to keep these children at home and not take them to school. However, this should be discouraged as through specialized learning, and these children can get exposed to learning activities at a rate which they can understand and thus proving beneficial.
In relation to problems identified in relation to genetic conditions affecting child development is parental denial that the parents of children with genetic conditions exhibit. As some genetic conditions such as downy syndrome may have physical impairments such as motor skills and the physique, parents may tend to feel demoralized or ashamed of the child and thus fail to afford them the necessary level of love trust and care (Kerr, 2004). Neglecting such a child thus becomes part of the parent routine, thus exposing the child to a wider range of other challenges on top of the underlying genetic disorder challenges.
Another problem may be identified in the failure by parents to look for medical procedures that could help ease the severity of the effects caused by the underlying genetic condition leaving the child exposed to a variety of problems that could be addressed through medical procedures.
Analysis and critical reflection
The understanding and awareness concerning genetic conditions and how these conditions affect the developmental process in a child are still not fully developed among the members of the public. This has resulted in the lack of a properly implemented framework that enables people who interact with children suffering from genetic disorders to engage in constructive activities with these children (Kerr, 2004). As a result, most people, instead of alienating these children, which has significantly contributed to the increase in the severity of the various effects that come along with these conditions. To ensure that there is the development of a sustainable approach that will facilitate the enhanced interactions better treatment for children with genetic disorders, the creation of public awareness should be considered as one of the key approaches that could be used to achieve his goal. Though educative and sensitization approaches, it will be possible for the development of a more receptive society that will have a better understanding as well as an accommodating approach towards interacting with children with genetic disorders.
Another essential analytical point of approach in dealing with the prevalence of genetic conditions among children is in the early identification of abnormalities and the application of the necessary measures that can aid in reducing the severity of the negative effects that come along with the various disorders. Parents and primary caregivers should, therefore, have a basic understanding of the various developmental processes and how they occur (Kerr, 2004). This would be essential in the detection of and late responses, which will, in turn, ensure that the parent is able to meet the required treatment approaches in due time.
While aiming at combating the effects of genetic conditions on the development process in a child, the increasing understanding of the afflicted individual on the condition that they are suffering from also plays an important role. For instance, as the child develops, the caregiver may take up the responsibility of explaining to the child why they are different from others and encourage them citing that this is not a bad thing and equip them with skills that could help them to get along with their day to day lives. By helping the affected individual understand their underlying conditions, it may help them overcome some esteem issues that they may be going through by understanding that it is not their fault they can’t take part in certain activities. In return, these children may opt to look for other areas of strength or indulgence that could help to make up for their shortcomings.
The medical sector also has a role to play. For instance, the conduction of clinical research trials and other research exercises on various genetic disorders and trying to come up with alternative treatment options could contribute towards the fight against genetic disorders (Anita Thapar, 2020). The research could, in turn, help to develop approaches that parents or caregivers who have a child with genetic complications under their care could take into action to help in making their lives more bearable. For instance, children with Kleinfelter’s syndrome could be helped to understand the reasons for the lack of development of secondary sexual characteristics, thus helping them to make better-informed decisions regarding their sexuality and other orientations (“Klinefelter syndrome – Symptoms and causes,” 2020). Similar approaches could be used for children with delayed intellectual capabilities.
Conclusion
Genetic conditions have been identified as hereditary ailments that are passed on from the parent to the offspring. While there are few ways to prevent the spread of genetic conditions, there are various measures that can be developed and put in place to ensure that those suffering from these conditions are provided with a chance to lead an almost normal life. The genetic conditions have also been identified to significantly affect the child’s development process whereby children with the condition may experience varied rates of development as compared to their counterparts who may not be suffering from any genetic conditions. This, therefore, makes it relatively difficult for these children to lead normal lives in various aspects such as the social, health, and learning aspects.
While every person is entitled to leading a normal life with fewer challenges involved, some factors are beyond human control, and the only measures that can be applied to combat them are correctional. As a result, the prevalence of genetic conditions in the population has been identified to be relatively high. It is, therefore, the society’s collective responsibility to ensure that children suffering from genetic disorders are provided with an ambient environment that will boost their growth and incorporation in the society (Kerr, 2004). The primary caregivers of such children are also charged with a bigger responsibility of helping these children realize themselves and who they are, leading to a journey of self-acceptance, which would be essential in the attempt to lead a normal life.
References
Genetics Are Just One Part of How Children Develop. Verywell Mind. (2020). Retrieved 30 April 2020, from https://www.verywellmind.com/genes-and-development-2795114.
Anita Thapar, E. (2020). Genetic influences on the development of childhood psychiatric disorders. PubMed Central (PMC). Retrieved 30 April 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3303131/.
Genetic Disorders – Kid Sense Child Development. Kid Sense Child Development. (2020). Retrieved 30 April 2020, from https://childdevelopment.com.au/areas-of-concern/diagnoses/genetic-disorders/.
Krumins, A. (2020). Far More People Than Thought Are Carrying Rare Genetic Diseases – ExtremeTech. ExtremeTech. Retrieved 30 April 2020, from https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/252082-study-far-people-thought-carrying-rare-genetic-diseases.
Klinefelter syndrome – Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. (2020). Retrieved 30 April 2020, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/klinefelter-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353949.
Kerr, A. (2004). Genetics and Society: A sociology of disease. Routledge.