VOA慢速英语--Separation Stress May Permanently Hurt Migrant Children

 

At least 2,300 children are living in government shelters after being separated from their parents who were trying to enter the United States without permission.

Last week President Donald Trump¹ signed an order directing officials to keep families together whenever possible.

The issue of families trying to enter the U.S. without permission is complex. But for one mother and son, being reunited was a chance for joy.

On Friday, one woman from Guatemala cried as she held her young son for the first time in a month. Border agents separated them after she crossed the border without permission in May.

"I love you. I love you," she repeated in Spanish as she kissed him. The mother, Beata Mariana de Jesus Mejia-Mejia, brought legal action against the U.S. government for separating her from her seven-year-old son. The lawyer who helped her worked for free.

The U.S. government has placed some of these children in shelters throughout the U.S. Some of these places are hundreds of miles away from Texas in other states.

U.S. law requires the separation of children from older family members who have been caught at the border under some conditions.

But doctors are worried about the health effects separation might have on the children.

The American Medical Association is a professional organization for doctors. It has warned that these children could suffer serious health problems that could last a lifetime as a result of being separated from their families.

Dr. Colleen Kraft is the president of the American Association of Pediatrics. She has taken an active part in speaking about the needs of these children. She warned that children who are exposed to extreme stress do not develop language or other skills normally. Kraft said this is caused by the trauma² of being taken from their parents.

Trauma causes the body to produce high levels of stress hormones³. Kraft said these hormones can hurt brain cells, affect the heart and cause children to act younger than they are. Some will start wetting themselves or their beds. Some develop behavior problems.

"It may take a long time for this trauma to be resolved and these children to be healed."

Dr. Lisa Fortuna is a child psychiatrist⁴ at Boston University Medical School. Fortuna works with refugee children separated from their parents. She says the family separations have been going on for a long time. She noted⁵ that it is very hard on children, no matter what their age is.

"Multiple kids tell me about feeling very cold, not eating enough, not having support of their parents or adults that care about them.”

Fortuna added that the children are usually extremely unhappy and upset.

Care givers at some of the centers where the children are being held say they are not permitted to touch even very young children. These rules were put in place for teenagers, but Myriam Goldin, a social worker who specializes in treating traumatized children, says touch is very important, especially for small children.

"When you rock a child, they can hear your heart rate. You can hear their heart rate, and it is through that co-regulation, children can be soothed⁷."

Goldin is one of the people who established the Gil Institute for Trauma, Recovery and Education in Virginia.

Fortuna says a parent's touch teaches a child that they are being taken care of and loved. She says if children are not touched, they can become sad and withdrawn⁸. They do not learn how to relate to others. They lose the ability to trust. They can stop expressing emotion even if they are returned to their parents.

Goldin points to a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on adverse⁹ childhood experiences. The study found that early childhood experiences have a strong effect on a person’s future.

Goldin says the study proves scientifically that if the needs of children are not met, long-term mental and physical health problems can result.

Not every child separated from their family will have permanent health problems, but young children are the most likely to be hurt. The separation from a parent can add to the stress they may have already experienced in unsafe conditions in their home countries.

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

trauma – n. a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time

hormones – n. a natural substance that is produced in the body and that influences the way the body grows or develops

resolve – v. to end or come to a conclusion

rock – v. to move a baby or child with rhythm

soothe⁶ – v. to calm someone

adverse –adj. not good

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

3 hormones   

n. 荷尔蒙，激素 名词hormone的复数形式

参考例句：

• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body. 这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。
• The adrenals produce a large per cent of a man's sex hormones. 肾上腺分泌人体的大部分性激素。

4 psychiatrist   

n.精神病专家；精神病医师

参考例句：

• He went to a psychiatrist about his compulsive gambling.他去看精神科医生治疗不能自拔的赌瘾。
• The psychiatrist corrected him gently.精神病医师彬彬有礼地纠正他。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 soothe   

v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承

参考例句：

• I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。
• This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

7 soothed   

v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦

参考例句：

• The music soothed her for a while. 音乐让她稍微安静了一会儿。
• The soft modulation of her voice soothed the infant. 她柔和的声调使婴儿安静了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

9 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。