Stress

Stressful conditions the environment can have significant negative effects on the developing brain. Stress is a series of physical, mental, and emotional reactions to the environment. People are most likely to feel stress when they do not have the emotional capacity to deal with a situation.

 

Stress is a normal part of life that can help us learn and grow. When we experience stressors, the body responds by releasing hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Cortisol activates the body's survival instincts, and helps us survive immediate threats. The heart beats faster, the attention span shortens, and judgment may be impaired. More primitive parts of the brain take over as the brain focuses on how to remove the threat. This set of physiological responses is known as the stress response.

 

For young children, small amounts of stress can be healthy and adaptive. But prolonged stress can have lasting negative effects on brain development. Some conditions that cause prolonged or excessive stress in young children include:

• extreme neglect
• witnessing or experiencing verbal or physical abuse
• the death of a parent
• experiencing significant trauma