Addressing Common Misconceptions
as the public's interest in scientific
information about the development of young children is stimulated by exciting new findings, the risk of exposure to misleading or, frankly, irresponsible messages grows. Within this context, it is essential that we distinguish scientific fact from popularly accepted fiction.
Science does not support the claim that infants and young children are too young to be affected by significant stresses that negatively affect their family and caregiving environments. To the contrary, human studies with infants and children as well as animal studies have shown that adverse early infant experiences (e.g., neglectful maternal care) and serious disruptions of the prenatal environment (e.g., drug and alcohol exposure) can lead to short-term neurobehavioral and neurohormonal changes in offspring that may have long-term adverse effects on memory, learning, and behavior throughout life.34
Notwithstanding the preceding statement, there is no credible scientific evidence that supports the conclusion that all young children who have been exposed to significant early stresses will always develop stress-related disorders. In both animal and human studies, interventions that provide consistent, predictable, and nurturing care help to stimulate positive adaptation and prevent poor outcomes.16,27,35
The Science-Policy Gap
although it is well known that many young children are exposed to significant
adversity, the degree to which children’s early experiences influence their biological responsiveness to later stress is not broadly understood. Evidence that stresses experienced by parents and other caregivers can affect a child’s developing brain architecture and chemistry in a way that makes some children more susceptible to stress-related disorders later in life is also new information for most people.
A rich and growing scientific knowledge base illuminates the multiple adverse effects of early life stresses, including their long-term impacts on children’s ability to learn, adapt, and cope with stress throughout their lives. Yet little
attention has been paid to the development and implementation of strategies to prevent or reduce significant stressors that affect children and families every day. This gap between what we know about the potentially harmful developmental impacts of adversities experienced by both caregivers and children, and what we do to promote healthy coping and adaptation through informal supports, voluntary workplace practices, and formal public policies and programs, is illustrated by the following examples:
Limited availability of family leave after the birth or adoption of a baby, and little financial support for parents who wish to stay at home with their newborns but do not have the economic resources to make ends meet in the absence of