Perry Chapter 4

As I read through this chapter, I carried immense hope. When it was suggested that the 4 year old child may have infantile anorexia, that sounded like the most ridiculous thing. To imagine a 4 year old who is doing it to herself intentionally, and to have the cognitive capacity ot have those feelings towards herself or others, is just wild. While I don’t disagree with the medical professionals wanting to rule out serious medical conditions, it is rather odd they didn’t think to ask the mother for her own background or even consider a mental health issue.

                When I looked up failure to thrive to find out more information, the majority of the informative websites online (assumingly meant for parents) never mention anything to do with the childrearing practices, attachment, or the possibility of it being a mental health issue. This infuriates me in a way, because I often feel like social work or psychology is viewed as a “soft science” by those in the medical field. In one article it suggests those who may be beneficial resources for the family. It mentions needing a social worker if the family needs to be connected to more food resources, or a psychologist for any behavioral issues (Gupta, 2014). But no suggestion of any kind of mental unrest was anywhere to be found within the article.

               

It made me very sad to hear about the adoption issues of Virginia, and how despite having a willing family, her biological family made this so difficult and impossible for them, disadvantaging their child in the long run. I saw this time and time again at the residential treatment center, and it broke my heart. IT is so inherently selfish to not do something in the best interest of the child, because of your own desires. When thinking about play therapy, I wonder if children like Virginia display many nurturing behaviors or often play with baby dolls within a play room. I wonder how much play therapy could have had a positive effect on her.

  

              I was so impressed by Mama P’s ability to understand the children she worked with. I think it is so amazing to have caregivers who are not afraid to provide safe touch and to help heal the needs many of the children had been neglected upon during their earlier years. It amazes me even further that she was willing to take a mother and a child into her home, and provide the care and learning experiences for both of them. What a true healing force this woman must be. While I have done a lot of rocking and safe touch, I can only hope to grow up to be like Mama P (#goals).

                When reading about how the brain plays a part in Laura’s situation, I found it interesting that even if the basic needs are being met, the “physical stimulation” for her body to grow, wasn’t being met. This puts Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1943) at question. Her physiological needs were technically being met, as well as safety. Love/belonging was where it was lacking, and yet she was failing to thrive. An argument could be made that physiological needs includes affection, since it includes sex. However, there is no mention throughout the various charts. When Dr.Perry brings in the information about the “mirror” neurons and how they also probably contributed to the current situation, the thought of a mother not really smiling at her baby or making happy faces for the child to reflect, is also an interesting thought. If we don’t see happiness often, and we don’t know how to display it, can we really be happy?