Building Resilience and Decreasing Childhood Trauma | First 5 LA: Parents & Family

Science tells us that 80 percent of a child’s brain develops by age 3. Prenatal and early childhood development has a lasting effect on a child’s brain and ability to learn, function, and grow.

Stress and trauma can weaken and damage a child’s brain. Toxic stress in a baby actually stops brain cells from growing and forming connections.

When a baby or young child experiences long, frequent or prolonged adversity, or trauma, without a caring and adequate adult response, it can lead to learning problems, behavioral issues, and physical and mental illness later in life.

Toxic stress in infancy and childhood can be caused by emotional or physical abuse, chronic neglect, exposure to violence or interacting with a parent who is stressed. Stress leads to angry, anxious or depressed feelings and behavior with others. Stressed parents often have a harder time with children, and may become more irritated or overwhelmed by parenting.

Recent research shows that early childhood trauma can play a serious role later in life. It can have a profound impact on the future well-being of families.

Parents who experienced early childhood trauma are especially vulnerable to stress. Building resilience for themselves and their children is vitally important.

Supportive relationships, role models, connecting to others in a community, and access to resources can help build resilience.

Related Topics: Trauma

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