Infant Stress Linked to Behavior Problems Later in Life
Posted May 21, 2013 07:35 am
TALLAHASSEE,
FL - New research makes clear a direct link between
stress experienced by people as infants and behavioral
problems as they grow older.
Recent studies find that infants' brains are reacting to external stresses, even while they sleep. Things such as domestic conflicts, violence and other traumatic events, experienced in infancy, can influence a person's behavior later in life, even if the person doesn't have any conscious memory of the original stress.
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Julie M. Ribaudo
According to infant mental health specialist Julie Ribaudo, so-called "toxic stresses" can result in many different complications, including attention and learning problems, depression and anxiety, and can even affect mood and anger regulation.
"It's sort of like the best-kept secret of why I
think America is so violent," Ribaudo declared. "It's
because we really don't take good care of our children
at a policy, national level."
Ribaudo said the problem is especially serious with
families in poverty that experience economic and other
social stresses every day, and added that the first step
in solving the problem is acknowledging that the problem
exists.
"So, if we can first admit as a society that infants and
toddlers are adversely effected by their experiences,
and sort of not protect ourselves from the pain of that,
then we can begin to look at public policy, funding and
training that can alter the course," she stated.
A study recently published in the journal Early Human
Development found that massage therapy reduces stress in
premature infants in addition to aiding in the
development of their nervous systems.
Photos and links added by the Observer