Research that Benefits Children and Families---Uplifting Stories

When I was fourteen months old, I was diagnosed with severe asthma. Between my diagnosis and my 17th birthday, I had been hospitalized 46 times, on life-support 4 different occasions, and had doctors tell my parents that I wasn't going to make on 2 different occasions. I can remember my mom telling me that all the doctors that had treated me over my life (before I turned 18) had never seen an asthma case as severe as mine. So it was my pediatrician's thought that I spend a month in Denver, Colorado at the National Jewish Health (an academic medical research facility specializing in respiratory, cardiac, and allergic disorders).

My mother consented with my pediatrician's idea. Her thought was this would be the perfect opportunity to find the root of my severe attacks.  I was 10 years old when we left for Denver, Colorado. My first time on a plane and the first time I had ever slept a night without my mother. During this month visit, I underwent sleep tests, variations of medications and dosages, therapy, and even a test where I had a thin tube inserted into my nose that had a balloon on the end which was blown up once inside my lungs. The purpose of this test was to measure my air capacity. I had another test which involved a thin tube that  was inserted into my nose that I had to wear for 24 hours and this test was conducted to measure my acid reflux.

Writing this brings back so many horrible memories. I hated every minute of it. I use this as an example of research that benefits children and families because although I endured through these tests, it was for the benefit of my overall respiratory health and so that my parents could have peace of mind that they would never have another doctor approach them with the words, "We don't think she's going to make it".  I highlight this experience because it shows how research can be looked as a "horrible experience" to one but the greatest gift to another. With this experience, can it be said that research had a thin line between barbaric and life-saving?

My Personal Research Journey Part 2

The topic that I have chosen for the simulation is cognitive development. I have chosen this topic because it is my personal opinion that a strong foundation in cognitive development is the core of a successful academic future as well as assists one in obtaining his/her greatest potential. As adults, we are continuously enhancing our cognitive development through continuing education, training, word searches, etc. With this understanding, it intrigues me to know how early can cognitive development began. We know (through research) that it begins in the womb but I'm curious to know how early. 

Some insights that I have gained so far from constructing the research chart is the various research methods and how each method has its own terminology. I will be using The Developing Person Through Childhood by Kathleen Stassen Berger as one of my resources for my simulation. I used this textbook for a previous course and found it had a plethora of information on prenatal development, including cognitive development. Are there any other resources that should be considered with this particular simulation?