How Stress Impacts Development

No one is immune to stress – children encounter stress in situations like preparing for their first day of school or studying for a big test. Stress can be manageable in moderate doses alongside a support system, but prolonged and heightened amounts of stress can be challenging to cope with. 

For children, stress can manifest in transitioning to novel routines, like joining a travel sports team or moving to a different town. Our body’s stress response is a temporary “fight or flight” system and produces many physiological effects, like quickened heart rate and increased oxygen use. Research has shown that the body has three different stress responses–positive, tolerable, and toxic stress responses–with each response differing in how the body responds to stress. The most harmful stress response to children is the toxic stress response, which may occur after having to endure long periods of hardship with little to no support system. Toxic stress may prolong cortisol activation, and makes it difficult to return to a baseline stress level. Toxic stress can disrupt child development, including cognitive development, and can also increase a child’s risk for stress-related diseases. 

Stressors that can lead to toxic stress in children include parental divorce, malnutrition, bullying, loss of a family member, and household disorder. Children experiencing toxic stress may be showing symptoms like little self control, memory difficulty, anxiety, depression, and behavioral abnormalities. The methods for treating toxic stress include several types of therapy, like CBT and child-parent psychotherapy, along with mind-body techniques. Other interventions focus on parents and strengthening the relationship between child and parent. 

Overall, one of the most important aspects of a child’s stress response is having a support system they can rely on. Having loving caregivers can make the world of difference for a child experiencing prolonged periods of stress. 

Kylie Robinshaw

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

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