Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

War and its effect on children is a topic military childcare facilities contend with daily, as while we are not in direct combat, a member of our immediate community is either deployed to a combat zone, recently returned from a combat zone, or anticipating their turn. It is almost impossible to avoid exposing military children to the stress associated with war and combat, as it is discussed between adults, reported on TV, and published in newspapers. War violates every right of the child. Everybody has a role to play to stop these violations. We cannot let war continue to destroy childhood.” (Karwal, 2008). The devastation is not limited to children in immediate combat areas; research has proven that increases in suicide, mental health problems, alcohol abuse and divorce are all symptoms experience by adults connected with the military. In turn the additional problems encountered by adults, trickles down to children of military families, and compiled with the child’s own stress, increased levels of anxiety and behavioral issues have been associated with military children. According to the article, Troops Kids Feel War Tolls, “Six out of 10 U.S. military parents told researchers their children have increased levels of fear and anxiety when a parent is sent to war, according to a survey of more than 13,000 military spouses of active-duty service members (Zoroya, 2009) In large, this is associated with the anxiety of a parent not returning. Patricia Lester, a UCLA psychiatry professor claims, "When the parent puts on the uniform," she says, "The child becomes distressed that they're not going to be coming back." (Zoroya, 2009)
The impact on child development is astronomical, as parents can deploy when children are newborns. Research has proven that lack of bonding early in life as a profound effect on the ability to form relationships later in life. In addition, the stress and anxiety of fearing for a parent can cause emotional problems. According to our text,

Congress is spending more than $700 million on programs for military families in the current supplemental bill to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 15% more than the Pentagon requested. Programs targeting the problem include:
• Offering $6,000 to military spouses to pay for education, training and licensing or credentialing for careers that can be easily re-established should the family move to a different military post. (War Child International, 2007)
• Dissemination of more than 1 million bilingual Sesame Street kits that include Elmo videos designed to help children ages 3-5 cope with deployment and family changes. Also a video will be released later this year addressing the emotional trauma of losing a parent, Thompson says.
• Distribution of more than 200,000 copies of a graphic novel aimed at military families titled Coming Home, which looks at problems family face when the service members come home.
• The Pentagon's creation of child and youth behavioral health specialists who work with families and educators to identify and help struggling children and families. The program has more than 300 full-time and temporary positions and is expanding.
• Offering free YMCA memberships to primarily families of deployed National Guard members and reservists. The program, which began last October, has provided nearly 26,000 memberships.
• Expanding teams of specially trained family counselors that the Pentagon provides to state military family program directors. " (Zoroya, 2009)

In comparison to the efforts taken by the US Military to help their children affected, there are several international organizations such as UNICEF and War Child, which are designed to help children worldwide, affected by war. The War Child organization, stationed in both Holland and Canada, “...strives for the healthy mental development of children who have lived through war, so that they can contribute to a peaceful future. War Child specializes in providing psychosocial assistance to children in former war zones, using creative methods” (War Child International, 2007) according to their mission statement. UNICEF, states, that its “...mission is to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential” (Conventions on the Rights of the Child, 2008)

Conventions on the Rights of the Child. (2008, August 26). Retrieved November 23, 2010, from UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org/crc/index_30160.html

Karwal, R. (2008, November 24). Effects of war in focus on the Universal Day of the Child. Retrieved November 23, 2010, from UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_46494.html

War Child International. (2007). War Child Holland. Retrieved November 23, 2010, from War Child International: http://www.warchild.org/projects/WC_Holland/wc_holland.html

Zoroya, G. (2009, June 25). Troops Kids Feel War Toll. Retrieved November 23, 2010, from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2009-06-24-military-kids_N.htm