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Early Adversity
November 23, 2011
If you don't go far enough back in memory or far enough ahead in hope, your future will be impoverished.
-Ed Lindeman
-Ed Lindeman
"Life circumstances associated with family stress, such as persistence of poverty, threatening neighborhoods, and very poor child care conditions, elevate the risk of serious mental health problems and undermine healthy functioning in the early years. Early childhood adversity of this kind also increases the risk of adult health and mental health problems because of its enduring effects on the body and brain development. Young children who experience recurrent abuse or chronic neglect, regularly witness domestic violence, or live in homes permeated by parental mental health or substance abuse problems are particularly vulnerable....
"All of these situations are stressful for children. Persistent activation of biological stress response systems leads to abnormal levels of stress hormones that have the capacity to damage brain architecture if they do not normalize. In the absence of buffering protection of supportive relationships, these hormone levels can remain out of balance. Known as toxic stress, this condition literally interferes with developing brain circuits, and poses a serious threat to young children, not only because it undermines their emotional well-being, but also because it can impair a wider range of developmental outcomes including early learning, exploration and curiosity, school readiness, and later school achievement."
Most early childhood teachers enter the field with the goal of making a difference. If you or your peers are losing some of the initial idealism, our popular book, From My Side: Being A Child, can help you recharge your motivation. Sure to be treasured, this beautiful hardcover book celebrates the authors' lifelong travels to countries throughout the world. Over 200 full-color photographs illustrate how children learn from their environment when they are engaged in everyday life activities. Ideal for home and school, educators and parents.
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Comments (1)
Displaying 1 CommentLanguage Castle LLC
Newtown, PA, United States
These findings about the damage that can be done to young brains that are living in stressful conditions make me worry even more about children from immigrant families who may be experiencing high poverty rates, compounded by isolation and lack of access to services that could help. And - think about those over-stressed little kids who appear in preschool, desperately needing that supportive relationship that will help their brains cope with the negative environments, yet they find themselves in a setting where no one speaks their language or understands what they say. Another wake up call to the language crisis in early care and education!
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