Toxic stress has the potential to change your child's brain chemistry, brain anatomy and even gene expression. Toxic stress weakens the architecture of the developing brain, which can lead to lifelong problems in learning, behavior, and physical and mental health.
Toxic stress decreases the size and impairs the functioning of the regions of the brain responsible for learning, memory, executive functioning (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus). As a result, the child is placed at risk for having learning and behavior problems.
Toxic stress in children can lead to life- long immune hyperactivity, increasing the risk of developing allergies and asthma.
The more adverse experiences in childhood, the greater the likelihood of developmental delays and later health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, substance abuse, and depression.
Young children who experience toxic stress are at high risk for a number of health outcomes in adulthood, including cardiovascular disease, cancers, asthma, and depression.
Children who experience toxic stress are at greater risk of many health problems in adulthood, from depression to cardiovascular disease and obesity. All children deserve the chance to thrive in safe and supportive environments.
Research in Alberta shows that the most common triggers of toxic stress in children are: Parental mental illness. Parental substance abuse. Parental abandonment or divorce.
Toxic stress (also called chronic stress) occurs when the brain and body's fight or flight response is activated too often or for too long. The fight or flight response activates in response to perceived threats, problems, or demands and results in the release of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.
Trauma is the impact felt from high levels of toxic stress. This can be emotional or physical. We may feel toxic stress when we face strong, frequent, or prolonged challenges. These can include abuse, neglect, violence, or substance use in the home.
“Chronic stress inhibits the production of the two most powerful hormones that promote bone growth. “These are growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1. A lack of these hormones can stop growth in height.”
Many children who grow up in a toxic environment are diagnosed with anxiety disorders. This comes from a lack of security, an unstable environment, or mental and physical mistreatment. Some signs your family is toxic include feeling worried, tense, irritable, or restless.
Toxic stress can increase a person's risk of developing high blood pressure, elevating levels of inflammation that can damage the arteries. These conditions can lead to heart disease, stroke and other serious health issues later in life.
Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.
Traumatic experiences can initiate strong emotions and physical reactions that can persist long after the event. Children may feel terror, helplessness, or fear, as well as physiological reactions such as heart pounding, vomiting, or loss of bowel or bladder control.
Additional physical and mental health conditions related to toxic stress include chronic fatigue, diabetes, obesity, depression and immune disorders. Children are even more vulnerable to the damaging effects of toxic stress, especially when they are without the support of a caring adult to help buffer the stress.
Examples of toxic stress include abuse, neglect, extreme poverty, violence, household dysfunction, and food scarcity.
When the body is stressed, the SNS contributes to what is known as the “fight or flight” response. The body shifts its energy resources toward fighting off a life threat, or fleeing from an enemy. The SNS signals the adrenal glands to release hormones called adrenalin (epinephrine) and cortisol.
Children exposed to higher psychological stress have been shown to have higher cortisol levels and greater risk of common diseases of childhood, including otitis media, viral infections, asthma, dermatitis, urticaria, intestinal infectious diseases, and urinary tract infections.
PTSD in children can lead to depression, suicidal behavior, substance use, and oppositional or defiant behaviors well into adulthood, which can affect their ability to succeed in school, and create and nurture important relationships.
For example, a traumatic experience in childhood may prime the brain to be expecting fear around all corners. In adulthood, this will lead to a heightened sense of stress in everyday life, and chronic stress is determined as 'one of the six leading causes of death'.