Early Childhood Neglect Increases Risks of Mental Health Problems Later
New research covered in the New Scientist magazine has identified now early childhood neglect can contribute to, or initiate, mental health problems that contribute to anger and aggressive behavior, and dopamine disruption that can increase risk of mental illness later in life. These findings confirm what a great deal of other research has shown - how important it is for parents to provide attentive, nurturing and responsive care giving to children early in life because it shapes a child's brain for the rest of their lives.
One study found that "Failing to care properly for a young child can be as damaging as physically or sexually abusing them, when it comes triggering aggression in later childhood."
See the science journal: Importance of Early Neglect for Childhood Aggression. The study indicated that "child neglect in the first 2 years of life may be a more-important precursor of childhood aggression than later neglect or physical abuse at any age."
An earlier study has also pointed out that "Early maternal neglect changes the expression of genes involved in the development of the dopamine system, research on mice has revealed. Dopamine disregulation has also been identified as a key factor in the development of schizophrenia.
Abnormal regulation of dopamine in the brain has been linked to drug abuse, depression and personality disorders - conditions that are also associated with childhood neglect in humans.
"Clearly, if the dopamine system of the brain is compromised, and if this can be extrapolated to humans, it could lead to greater susceptibility for drug dependence and perhaps greater vulnerability to develop certain psychiatric illnesses," says researcher Wayne Brake of the University of California, Santa Barbara."
This research is part of the rapidly growing body of evidence that reveals how the psychological and social environment of pregnant women, infants and young children can have a lasting biological impact on the development of the child. The areas of scientific research that are covering this important progress includes "social neuroscience", and epigenetics.
Read more:
Early neglect can trigger childhood aggression
Mothers' neglect changes infants' brain development, Causes Abnormal Regulation of Dopamine (a key brain chemical involved in schizophrenia)
Early verbal abuse may reduce language ability
How to Prevent Schizophrenia in Children - Risk Reduction Tactics
Is Schizophrenia Psychological Or Biological?
Epigenetics and Mental Illness - Child Care Has an Impact
Childcare, Genetics, Epigenetics and Schizophrenia
Childhood Emotional Abuse, Emotional Neglect and Schizophrenia
Posted by szadmin at April 10, 2008 11:06 AM
More Information on
Schizophrenia Causes, Risk Factors & Prevention
According to research- this phrase is used to explain everything and nothing.
What do they mean by neglect? There's all types of neglect.
Speaking personally, my child had the best of upbringings, and I don't mean money or possessions. I mean in terms of two loving and constant parents who spent most of their time with the children and helped them learn and do well but were not pushy.
I believe peer bullying of my child resulted in his illness, not wholly but had a lot to do with it. There is no family history of schizophrenia either so it's all the more devastating and bewildering.
Again I think this piece of information shows a waste of time and resources. You don't need to be clever to work out that neglected children could become mentally ill!
Posted by: sheila at April 10, 2008 02:36 PM
That all you see an hear new research new research. Why don't they just come out an say what people have know for years nobody knows what causes schizophrenia. Stop spending money on things in the past an try spending money on getting rid of the stigma around schizophrenia.
Posted by: David Smith at April 11, 2008 10:30 AM
I have two new grandchildren and one lives near me and the one who lives near me -----both his mother and father are mentally ill.
I will learn as much as I can and show it to my daughter to prevent my little grandson of developing mental illness.
It can't hurt to try new things and God forbid if he shows signs of mental illness , at least we know we've tried everything and I'm hopeful that there will be better treatments available for my grandson.
I appreciate some of these pieces and I'm trying to learn more about baby and child development.
Yaya
Posted by: yaya at April 12, 2008 04:25 AM
Please include the link to the original paper:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/121/4/725
Posted by: CopperKettle at April 12, 2008 04:39 AM
Thanks Copperkettle for posting the link to the original paper. So, in other words the first two years are extremely critical for early intervention as it pertains to developing aggression. Interesting.
I will show this to my daughter Cassie.
Thanks again Copperkettle.
Yaya
Posted by: yaya at April 13, 2008 04:27 AM
isn't it just dandy that we have gone from the early days of psychiatry where they blamed the parents and a child's upbringing for EVERYthing - to years where "they" finally realized that mental illness is biological... and now voila, it's the parents fault again.
Yes we know a child that positively IS abused usually develops a personality disorder or a mental illness... however, this is not the only cause and not the root for ALL neurological diseases.... My son wasn't abused and he had childhood onset. Most others I know with MI kids didn't abuse their kids either....
one step forward
three steps back
sigh
Posted by: rustysmom at April 13, 2008 07:54 PM
Trouble is there's nothing new, just the same old stuff recycled. Money won't help get rid of stigma. Prejudice against the mentally ill is as old as the hills.
Unless people have it in their family they haven't got a clue what it's like!
Money should be spent on curing this illness!
Here's a thought, if a British Royal had schizophrenia, there would be a cure by now!
Posted by: sheila at April 14, 2008 02:07 AM
If you guys haven't thoroughly read through the paper it says that abuse affects the biology of children. Rustysmom check out the epigenetic study. so yes it is saying its biological and psychosocial which is not very hard to understand.
And just because you believe you treated your child well does not mean that you actually did a good job. I think there are allot of parents in denial about the way they treat their children.
Or they are unaware of bullying, yes even at a very friggin young age children will part take in bullying. Maybe some of you should read Lord of the Flies and maybe you will start to understand things a little better.
Posted by: Max at April 14, 2008 11:28 AM
Max you are well out of order and aggressive with it! I am not saying we never made mistakes as parents but we did do a good job and are still doing a good job caring for our son, keeping him out of hospital and off the street where many very sick people end up. So don't presume to tar every parent with the same brush since you don't know any of us mums personally and are not able to judge us . Thanks.
Posted by: sheila at April 16, 2008 02:59 PM
Sheila noticed I said allot not all, there is a big difference!
Secondly, you should try and get your son into a washout clinic. Cause if you have treated him right then he is just a drug abuser that suffers from psychosis.
Which is really common these days, and I am not being aggressive, maybe a bit blunt because it seems people are either hiding or being overly defensive. If you haven't done anything wrong to your child then you really have no concern, cause he probably wouldn't have developed this illness unless he was abusing drugs.
As well Sheila you don't know these moms either. There are countless cases
of mothers killing their children, beating them up, feeding them crack cocaine, examples of this can be found in newspapers..
And no one is innocent until proven so in my books! To be honest though it does seem that mothers get allot of the blame. I think its usually the fathers fault, cause they seem to be more likely to abuse their kids and their wifes.
Posted by: Max at April 19, 2008 12:03 PM
Early
Schizophrenia Screening Test
According to research- this phrase is used to explain everything and nothing.
What do they mean by neglect? There's all types of neglect.
Speaking personally, my child had the best of upbringings, and I don't mean money or possessions. I mean in terms of two loving and constant parents who spent most of their time with the children and helped them learn and do well but were not pushy.
I believe peer bullying of my child resulted in his illness, not wholly but had a lot to do with it. There is no family history of schizophrenia either so it's all the more devastating and bewildering.
Again I think this piece of information shows a waste of time and resources. You don't need to be clever to work out that neglected children could become mentally ill!
Posted by: sheila at April 10, 2008 02:36 PM
That all you see an hear new research new research. Why don't they just come out an say what people have know for years nobody knows what causes schizophrenia. Stop spending money on things in the past an try spending money on getting rid of the stigma around schizophrenia.
Posted by: David Smith at April 11, 2008 10:30 AM
I have two new grandchildren and one lives near me and the one who lives near me -----both his mother and father are mentally ill.
I will learn as much as I can and show it to my daughter to prevent my little grandson of developing mental illness.
It can't hurt to try new things and God forbid if he shows signs of mental illness , at least we know we've tried everything and I'm hopeful that there will be better treatments available for my grandson.
I appreciate some of these pieces and I'm trying to learn more about baby and child development.
Yaya
Posted by: yaya at April 12, 2008 04:25 AM
Please include the link to the original paper:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/121/4/725
Posted by: CopperKettle at April 12, 2008 04:39 AM
Thanks Copperkettle for posting the link to the original paper. So, in other words the first two years are extremely critical for early intervention as it pertains to developing aggression. Interesting.
I will show this to my daughter Cassie.
Thanks again Copperkettle.
Yaya
Posted by: yaya at April 13, 2008 04:27 AM
isn't it just dandy that we have gone from the early days of psychiatry where they blamed the parents and a child's upbringing for EVERYthing - to years where "they" finally realized that mental illness is biological... and now voila, it's the parents fault again.
Yes we know a child that positively IS abused usually develops a personality disorder or a mental illness... however, this is not the only cause and not the root for ALL neurological diseases.... My son wasn't abused and he had childhood onset. Most others I know with MI kids didn't abuse their kids either....
one step forward
three steps back
sigh
Posted by: rustysmom at April 13, 2008 07:54 PM
Trouble is there's nothing new, just the same old stuff recycled. Money won't help get rid of stigma. Prejudice against the mentally ill is as old as the hills.
Unless people have it in their family they haven't got a clue what it's like!
Money should be spent on curing this illness!
Here's a thought, if a British Royal had schizophrenia, there would be a cure by now!
Posted by: sheila at April 14, 2008 02:07 AM
If you guys haven't thoroughly read through the paper it says that abuse affects the biology of children. Rustysmom check out the epigenetic study. so yes it is saying its biological and psychosocial which is not very hard to understand.
And just because you believe you treated your child well does not mean that you actually did a good job. I think there are allot of parents in denial about the way they treat their children.
Or they are unaware of bullying, yes even at a very friggin young age children will part take in bullying. Maybe some of you should read Lord of the Flies and maybe you will start to understand things a little better.
Posted by: Max at April 14, 2008 11:28 AM
Max you are well out of order and aggressive with it! I am not saying we never made mistakes as parents but we did do a good job and are still doing a good job caring for our son, keeping him out of hospital and off the street where many very sick people end up. So don't presume to tar every parent with the same brush since you don't know any of us mums personally and are not able to judge us . Thanks.
Posted by: sheila at April 16, 2008 02:59 PM
Sheila noticed I said allot not all, there is a big difference!
Secondly, you should try and get your son into a washout clinic. Cause if you have treated him right then he is just a drug abuser that suffers from psychosis.
Which is really common these days, and I am not being aggressive, maybe a bit blunt because it seems people are either hiding or being overly defensive. If you haven't done anything wrong to your child then you really have no concern, cause he probably wouldn't have developed this illness unless he was abusing drugs.
As well Sheila you don't know these moms either. There are countless cases
of mothers killing their children, beating them up, feeding them crack cocaine, examples of this can be found in newspapers..
And no one is innocent until proven so in my books! To be honest though it does seem that mothers get allot of the blame. I think its usually the fathers fault, cause they seem to be more likely to abuse their kids and their wifes.
Posted by: Max at April 19, 2008 12:03 PM