Chronic stress and negative life experiences during childhood can have negative effects on a child’s brain development, overall health, and well-being.
Children may face stressful, negative life experiences that actually affect how their brains develop. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is a term created by researchers and physicians Felitti and Anda that include specific emotionally traumatic life events, such as divorce, death, abuse, neglect.
Experiencing stress at an early age, especially numerous negative life events, can have a negative effect on children for the rest of their lives. Stress has been found to change the shape and size of an individual’s brain, as well as the connections between brain cells. Stress can affect development, behavior, and learning.
Developing strong emotional connections with your child can help counter the effects of trauma or stress. Talking, reading, and singing with your child are three simple yet powerful ways to connect!
