Contemporary research indicates that the short-term effects of perinatal complications such as low birth weight can typically be overcome by environment; discuss what aspects of environment have been found to be effective in this respect

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

(1) Low-birth-weight babies are often difficult to love (due to their being relatively unattractive and hard to comfort), thus parents may become emotionally detached. Information and special training for parents is helpful. (2) Traditional hospital procedures allow only minimal contact with babies of low birth weight, but research now indicates that such babies become less irritable and more responsive (and also show quicker neurological development) if they are periodically handled and soothed by their mothers. (3) In general, stable and highly supportive homes foster healthy emotional attachments of low-birth-weight babies to their mothers and tend to preclude serious intellectual impairment or learning difficulties. (4) In general, more supportive and stimulating home environments help low-birth-weight babies overcome early intellectual deficits; less stimulating and supportive home environments tend to perpetuate intellectual deficits.