Videos and Reflection Questions

Chapter 3

Conception to birth: Fetal Development Month by Month Explained

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9aMPSQT9X8&t=88s
This short video shows prenatal development from conception to birth. A helpful primer, especially when associating the impacts of teratogens or premature birth on development.

Born Four Months Early, This Tiny Survivor

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL24-nwMQ6q
A short film chronicling the premature birth of Juniper French. Juniper was born prior to the age of viability, at 23 weeks 6 days.

Reflection Questions

  1. Based on your knowledge of fetal development, what organs and systems were not fully developed when Juniper was born?
  2. At 1:09, Juniper’s mother says she was born “right on the line of what’s medically possible and what’s a lost cause.” If you or your partner gave birth to a baby in the gray zone, what decisions would you make about life saving care?
  3. Prior to watching this short film, do you think that you would have made different decisions?

 

Thalidomide at 40

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGMmoF_8nsE
A documentary detailing the lives and adult functioning of adults who have limb differences caused by thalidomide.

Reflection Questions

  1. At 3:10, Kevin talks about how his mother was prescribed thalidomide for morning sickness in the first trimester of her pregnancy and as a result he has deformed arms and legs. Some babies exposed to thalidomide have fully formed legs or arms or limbs that are present but shorter than typical. Based on your knowledge of prenatal development and teratogens, to what do you attribute the differences in the level of thalidomide’s impact on each person?
  2. At 8:36, Kevin says “what disables me is the society I live in” and around 20:14 Kevin gives a tour of his home where he lives independently. Kevin ascribes to the social model of disability. What changes do you think that society could make to remove Kevin’s disability?
  3. Around 17:45, the documentary addresses the forced use of prosthesis for children of thalidomide. How does this approach to treatment reflect the model of disability during the 1960s and 1970s?
  4. At 31:10, Kevin’s mother begins to tell the story of Kevin’s birth and describes the way in which the hospital staff reacted to his disability. What impact do you think the attitudes of hospital staff and other “helping” professionals have on parents and their ability to bond with their babies?
  5. At 42:40, Gary is taking flying lessons. Before watching this documentary, would you have imagined that a person with Gary’s limb differences could be a pilot? Are you surprised by your reactions or thoughts about disability?