Children’s stress affects their health much more strongly and more cunningly than adult problems

Previously, medicine often considered the consequences of injuries in isolation: if a child was bullied at school, his psyche was treated, if he was obese, he was put on a diet. Now it has become obvious that stress is carpet bombing all systems at once. The same biological mechanisms triggered by fear or grief can simultaneously cause lung inflammation, attention deficit disorder, and decreased immunity. Tomography confirms that children who live under constant stress even have brain volume changes, which leads to poor academic performance.

The same events can lead to completely different consequences depending on the context. It is critically important when exactly the trouble happened: a six-year-old and a teenager of fourteen years digest the conflict in different ways, and they need different help. The ability to withstand the blows of fate is also influenced by external factors, from the security of the neighborhood to the color of the skin and the well—being of the family. Poverty and social injustice only add to the devastating effect.

The most powerful protective barrier between a fragile psyche and a cruel world is loved ones. A strong emotional bond with mom, dad, or a guardian can extinguish a significant part of the negativity. That is why taking care of the mental balance of the parents themselves is a direct contribution to the health of their heirs. A calm adult acts as an airbag that dampens external shocks.

Nikki Bush, the lead author of the review, insists on a change of approach. Waiting for a traumatized child to grow up and face cancer, heart disease, or end up on the street is criminal negligence. The tools to help are already available today. Timely intervention, whether it’s working with a psychologist, government grants, or improving the school climate, can rewrite the script of life and prevent a catastrophe in the future.