Community violence and young children: making space for hope
All children experience fears during childhood, including fear of the dark, monsters and strangers. These fears are normal and temporary. However, chronic activation of the body's stress response systems as may occur, for example, when living in a violent community has been shown to disrupt the efficiency of brain circuitry and lead to both immediate and long-term problems in learning, behaviour, and both physical and mental health. This is especially true when stress system overload occurs during sensitive periods of early brain development.
No Related Publications available