A Head Start on Life

By Anglican Family Care | Posted: Tuesday March 15, 2016

“You’ve got to stay positive or you’ll end up in a deep dark hole” - Alesha

Nick was born in Christchurch at 24 weeks and weighed 690 grams, the equivalent weight of 3 cups of flour. Nick was in the Neonatal Intensive-Care Unit (NICU) for 122 days. Alesha wasn’t able to touch her son for over a month and had her first cuddle on Mother’s day 2014. After his first cuddle with mum, the hospital staff noticed Nick’s health had improved.

The loving attachment between a mother and her baby affects brain development. Because the brain is so changeable during early childhood, negative experiences or the absence of appropriate stimulation can have serious and sustained effects. A mother can influence a baby’s brain development and she is one of the most important sources of a baby’s brain stimulation.

Attachment and brain development are just a small part of what our Family/Whanau workers teach parents with the Ahuru Mōwai/Born to Learn Curriculum in the Family Start programme.

The curriculum contains well researched information for sharing with parents about brain development, child development and learning, parenting issues, play ideas and extra information on child focussed topics. The curriculum is organised into sections according to the child’s age and contains ideas about development together with play ideas for parents which will enhance development.

Nick was five months old when Alesha and her partner decided to relocate to Dunedin to be closer to family, and because his immune system was so low, he had to be flown down to the Neonatal Intensive-Care Unit (NICU) at Dunedin Hospital.

It was the staff at Dunedin Hospital who offered Alesha a referral to the Family Start programme as they had noticed she had little support systems around her. Hospital staff also had concerns around how the couple would manage with Nick and his medical needs, as young first time parents. Alesha and Nick were assigned to Family/Whanau worker Pania. “Pania didn’t judge us and really listened to what was going on in our lives” said Alesha “She also provided me reassurance that what I was doing as a mum was ok”.

Nick had been in and out of hospital for heart surgery, chronic lung disease, low immune system and a host of other ailments. On top of this, Alesha’s partner was made redundant and soon after suffered a seizure and blacked out. Overnight he had lost 5 years of his memory and didn’t know who his family was, their son was a stranger to him. He has since been diagnosed with epilepsy. Alesha continued to attend to Nick’s needs and those of her family, however, soon after she disclosed to Pania she was low in mood. Pania encouraged Alesha to access the doctor for her own mental health, which she did. Strategies were also discussed with Alesha around self-care and giving herself some time out.

Additional support we offer as part of the Family Start programme is helping parents and families deal with the challenges of life and work alongside them to strengthen their skills.

Pania has said “throughout Alesha’s time with Family Start she has been engaging, knowledgeable and proactive in caring for Nick and attending to his medical needs and appointments. Both parents acknowledge how special their boy is and he has been their priority in ensuring he gets what he needs.”

Alesha and her family have recently moved to Timaru to start the next chapter in their lives and we wish them the very best for their future. We are grateful we were able to witness some amazing moments in the earliest parts of Nick’s life and to be able to walk along the path of parenthood with them.

You can help children and families in need, in Otago, by donating online at www.anglicanfamilycare.org.nz