Children’s healthy development may be affected by an excessive or prolonged response of the body and brain systems to stress. Toxic stress can have harmful effects on learning, behavior and health throughout life.
Learning to deal with adversity is an important part of healthy child development. When we feel threatened, our body is ready to react by increasing heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones, such as cortisol.
- When a young child’s stress response systems are activated in an adult supportive relationship environment.
- These physiological effects are mitigated and the result is the development of healthy stress response systems.
However, if the stress response is extreme and lasting and the child is compromised by these cushioning relationships, the result can weaken the brain’s systems and structure and repercussions can last a lifetime.
In the absence of response relationships with adult caregivers, a child’s stress response systems are put on alert and remain there. The cumulative cost increases the likelihood of developmental delays, learning and behavioral problems in children, as well as diabetes, heart disease, depression, etc. substance abuse, alcoholism and other major health problems in adults.
Extensive biological research shows that chronic and severe stress can become toxic to the developing brain and biological systems when a child faces serious challenges, such as poverty, abuse, neglect, abuse, substance abuse, or mental illness of a caregiver.
Early childhood experiences play an important role in how the brain develops and works. Interactions with the child and their environment affect learning, behavior, and long-term health. To develop a healthy brain structure, it is essential that the child has receptive caregivers. and develop positive relationships that help them learn to deal with stressful experiences.
In general, the stress response is a physiological response to an adverse event or demanding circumstance and includes biochemical changes in the neurological, endocrine and immune systems; however, stress is not always a negative phenomenon; it can be positive, tolerable, and toxic.
A positive response to stress is essential for a child’s growth and development. Positive responses to stress are rare, short-lived and mild.
The child receives support with strong social and emotional shock absorbers, such as the peace of mind and protection of parents. The child gains motivation and endurance for each positive response to stress, so biochemical reactions return to the baseline.
Responses to tolerable stress are more severe, frequent, or sustained. The body responds to a greater degree and these biochemical responses have the potential to negatively affect the structure of the brain.
In tolerable stress responses, once adversity is eliminated, the brain and organs are fully recovered when the child is protected by receptive relationships and strong social and emotional support.
Toxic stress in children is an abnormal response to stress that consists of a disorder that results in a steady increase in cortisol levels and a persistent inflammatory state in which the body is unable to normalize these changes, regardless of the disappearance of the stressor.
Toxic stress results in prolonged activation of stress response, and the body does not return to basic levels in modified constants. Lack of support, peace of mind, or emotional attachment by caregivers can prevent a normal response to stress.
Toxic stress in children is a very serious problem. Children suffering from toxic stress are at risk of adverse health effects that may not occur until adulthood. These side effects include inadequate coping skills, inadequate stress management, unhealthy lifestyles, mental and physical illnesses.
The more adverse experiences in childhood, the greater the likelihood of developmental delays and subsequent health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, substance abuse and depression.
Children experience external behaviors, such as aggression, and internal behaviors, such as anxiety and depression. The problem is that these behaviors are not unique to children whose development has been affected by stress and trauma, and often people around them only see one child acting, not a child trying to point out to someone the constant pain they live in.
Trauma caused by toxic stress and its effects can also have a subtle normalizing effect. Children who don’t have a broader view of the world may think that domestic violence is normal or that street violence is as natural as rain.
In terms of development, a child experiencing adversity may experience permanent changes in brain structure, epigenetic alteration, and modified genetic function. The long-term health and development implications are critical and include an increased risk of stress-related illnesses.
The response to toxic stress affects the neuroendocrine immune network and the response leads to prolonged and abnormal release of cortisol. The resulting immune deregulation, including a persistent inflammatory state, increases the risk and frequency of infections in children. In addition, the response to toxic stress. It is believed to play a role in the physiopathology of depressive disorders, lack of behavioral regulation, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis.
Adults who have experienced early childhood difficulties are also known to have more physical illnesses and health problems. These health outcomes are varied and include alcoholism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, cancer, obesity, increased suicide attempts or ischemic heart disease. , among many other processes.
Experts recommend creating policies that minimize the effects of toxic stress on children. Here are some suggestions: make specialized assistance more accessible?For caregivers who do not have enough knowledge and skills to help young children with symptoms of toxic stress?And greater support for intervention programs.