Educational, behavioural and health development can all be endangered by the repeated or extreme activation of stress response systems in the body and brain.
When threatened, our bodies respond by increasing heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones such as cortisol. When a young child’s stress response systems are activated within an environment of supportive relationships, these responses are significantly reduced, allowing healthy stress response systems to develop. However, if the stress response is extreme and recurring, and positive adult relationships are unavailable, the result can be lifelong damage to brain architecture and other organ systems.
Responding to stress
There are three kinds of responses to stress: positive, tolerable and toxic.
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