Due to my lack of firsthand experience in this area, I chose it as my project. I would be interested in learning specifically, the effects on children whose parent/s is/are abusing drugs or alcohol. Becoming more knowledgeable in this area would allow me to better understand what my future students are experiencing, thus enabling me to better meet their needs and mitigate their circumstances as best I can. Moreover, it will provide me with knowledge in how to relate to, deal with, and hopefully provide resources to their families. I fully believe that addiction is truly a disease. Learning more about this topic will allow me to better help families cope, as well as hopefully having some influence which could end a potential cycle in which the children grow up to become addicted.
One of the many questions I hope to find an answer to, is what strategies we can teach children in order to help them cope with the family circumstances they experience due to drug or alcohol abuse. The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2014) states that exposure to toxic stress can lead a child to a damaged brain architecture. Therefore, it is important that children learn coping strategies in order that long term or permanent brain damage does not ensue.References
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2015, June). DrugFacts: Nationwide trends | National institute on drug abuse (NIDA). Retrieved May 25, 2016, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends
Scientific Council, N. (2014). Excessive stress disrupts the development of brain architecture.Journal of Children's Services, 9(2), 143-153. doi:10.1108/jcs-01-2014-0006
Skolkovo. (2011). [Image]. Retrieved from http://image.slidesharecdn.com/zelmanvladimirexploringnewfrontiersofbrainpreservationandprotection-110204112407-phpapp01/95/zelman-vladimir-exploring-new-frontiers-of-brain-preservation-and-protection-22-728.jpg?cb=1296818725
