Case Study 2
I would begin to reassure Melindah and Jermain about their concerns for a healthy baby by explaining that their worries about the new child’s behavior ( shyness) is not genetic but behavioral and those characteristics that are believed to be genetic such as mental illness and addiction are often the result of environment and their expressions can be diminished or modified by warm and intelligent social interaction with parents and by relieving or not adding any stressors that would trigger the possibilities of those diseases, and sickle- cell anemia although genetic its risks of having it are diminished over generations where ancestors who might of lived in an area of the world where it was an important and spontaneous mutation required for survival against malaria. I would also emphasize proper nutrition for the whole family particularly the mother during the pregnancy. All the characteristics except for shyness are believed to be genetic and all can be modified by environment. Therefore it not always fate since their expression can be modified. It is important to note that sometimes it is fate and parents should not blame themselves for any shortcomings their child expresses.
I would tell Melindah and Jermain that mental illness and violence can be severely modified by educating themselves if they feel the need to and also to reach out to professional therapists. Today much more is known about mental illness then when their relatives were born. Violence can certainly be modified by making sure that their child knows how to effectively communicate and express him or herself.
As for sickle cell anemia I again would emphasize that much more is known about such things then when his relative had it. Today with early detection it is something that can be effectively