2/24/12

The Toxic Stress of Early Childhood Adversity - YouTube

The Toxic Stress of Early Childhood Adversity - YouTube



ed by on Feb 21, 2012

The Forum at the Harvard School of Public Health

Evidence suggests that for the youngest children, prolonged or severe exposure to abuse, neglect and economic hardship -- exacerbated by a dearth of stable, supportive relationships with adults -- can provoke a "toxic stress response" with lifelong consequences. Such stress may influence brain development and increase the risk for illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. While efforts have been made for decades to intervene early in children's lives, the results have not always been resounding. This Forum event examined how health and education policies can be both harnessed and revamped to counteract early childhood adversity and included a discussion of a new policy statement, "Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Role of the Pediatrician: Translating Developmental Science Into Lifelong Health," issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

February 7, 2012

No comments: