If you have been lucky to have had your mother care for you and nurture you in your infancy and childhood, thank your stars! How life could have been different without her is the subject of several scientific papers that deal with the unpleasant consequences of “Maternal Deprivation Syndrome”
Infants without moms make poor starts in life. They often do not grow well physically, lagging behind in height and weight, in what is termed “growth failure”. And funnily, this seems to occur despite the adequate nutrition reaching their guts.
Scientists are, as usual, trying to investigate what “factors” could be responsible. One explanation is deprivation of mother’s milk that lowers a child’s immunity. Breast milk is rich in anti-bodies and immune boosters that help protect the baby from recurrent infections, frequent episodes of diarrhea, pneumonia and absorption defects.
What scientists find intriguing is to segregate the “measurable” factors such as antibody levels passing from breast milk to the infant, for instance, from the un-measurable ones such as love, care, emotional support and confidence boosting that acts such as breast feeding, hugging, caressing and singing of lullabies might have on a child’s development.
Children growing up without their mothers are often emotionally handicapped from an early age. Their personalities and self-confidence do not develop well and their emotional responses remain muted. They are more prone to developing personality disorders or delinquencies than their well mothered counterparts.
The pain of growing up without a mom was well described by Steeve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Inc, whose unwed biological mother had given him up for adoption when he was an infant. Although raised well by foster parents, Steeve had never felt “normal”; he had taken to drugs in his young days and had suffered volatile moods, loneliness and depression. His search for his biological mother had remained unsuccessful, causing him frustration, till he developed and died of cancer himself.
Mom is a boon that we seem to take so much for granted, that we often do not realize how our lives might have been without her. Mother’s day is a good time to acknowledge and appreciate her and express our gratitude for having had her.
One way you could give back is to make sure she remains healthy and happy. Ensure that she takes her Vitamin D, calcium and vitamin supplements regularly. It is your turn to escort her through her regular medical visits for BP, diabetes, cholesterol, heart, hemoglobin, breast and pelvic check ups just as she did with you during the parent-teacher’s meetings when you were in school.
And it is your turn to make sure that you reciprocate and give her the time and emotional support that she needs from a grown up child, so that she remains fit and happy. And proud of having brought you into the world, and nurtured you with love and care!
Infants without moms make poor starts in life. They often do not grow well physically, lagging behind in height and weight, in what is termed “growth failure”. And funnily, this seems to occur despite the adequate nutrition reaching their guts.
Scientists are, as usual, trying to investigate what “factors” could be responsible. One explanation is deprivation of mother’s milk that lowers a child’s immunity. Breast milk is rich in anti-bodies and immune boosters that help protect the baby from recurrent infections, frequent episodes of diarrhea, pneumonia and absorption defects.
What scientists find intriguing is to segregate the “measurable” factors such as antibody levels passing from breast milk to the infant, for instance, from the un-measurable ones such as love, care, emotional support and confidence boosting that acts such as breast feeding, hugging, caressing and singing of lullabies might have on a child’s development.
Children growing up without their mothers are often emotionally handicapped from an early age. Their personalities and self-confidence do not develop well and their emotional responses remain muted. They are more prone to developing personality disorders or delinquencies than their well mothered counterparts.
The pain of growing up without a mom was well described by Steeve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Inc, whose unwed biological mother had given him up for adoption when he was an infant. Although raised well by foster parents, Steeve had never felt “normal”; he had taken to drugs in his young days and had suffered volatile moods, loneliness and depression. His search for his biological mother had remained unsuccessful, causing him frustration, till he developed and died of cancer himself.
Mom is a boon that we seem to take so much for granted, that we often do not realize how our lives might have been without her. Mother’s day is a good time to acknowledge and appreciate her and express our gratitude for having had her.
One way you could give back is to make sure she remains healthy and happy. Ensure that she takes her Vitamin D, calcium and vitamin supplements regularly. It is your turn to escort her through her regular medical visits for BP, diabetes, cholesterol, heart, hemoglobin, breast and pelvic check ups just as she did with you during the parent-teacher’s meetings when you were in school.
And it is your turn to make sure that you reciprocate and give her the time and emotional support that she needs from a grown up child, so that she remains fit and happy. And proud of having brought you into the world, and nurtured you with love and care!
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