“She’s had to grow up fast,” someone whispers. “Poor little thing, she’s had a hard time, but she’s like a little adult.”
That may be how a child who has been through traumatic experiences sometimes appears to outsiders, but on the inside of her brain, the truth is that development can actually be stalled and stunted by the trauma.
The latest study shows that changes in the brain that have sometimes been interpreted as faster development are less likely to be a sign of maturity and may show the brain prioritizing different structures depending on experience.
Early Life Family-Related Threats
There are a near-infinite number of traumatic experiences a child can suffer, and the severity of the effect may vary from one child to another. A strong and supportive family unit that provides a sense of security can be one factor in how severely a stressor affects a child.
This study focused on that family security, narrowing the relevant experiences down to those that could be defined as family conflict, neighborhood safety, and harsh parenting. Then, researchers examined MRI scans of those children at ages 8, 10, and 14.
The researchers sought to test the theory that these negative experiences speed up development in certain brain regions. Instead, they concluded that their data seemed to imply damage rather than growth.
The Visible Difference Between Maturity & Damage
As the brain develops and ages, one visible change is in the cortex, the outer layer of the brain. It grows thinner while other structures of the brain forge stronger connections underneath.
Previous studies have shown that underlying connections don’t build in the ways we expect in kids raised with harsh parenting. Now, we’re seeing that thinning of the cortex could have a different meaning than development.
In kids who have endured the circumstances described above as family-related threats, the cortex thins earlier than it should, but other development — specifically the process called myelination — is not proceeding on schedule.
Myelination is the process of forming an outer coating of myelin around neurons. Like the thinning of the cortex, it happens as the brain develops and matures.
However, in the brains of kids who had gone through these negative experiences, researchers saw that myelination was not happening at typical rates.
What Does This Mean For Brain Maturity?
Researchers interpreted this as a sign that the brain was not maturing faster, as had been hypothesized.
Instead of both measures — cortical thinning and myelination — progressing at an increased rate, myelination was “blunted” in children who had suffered these adverse experiences. Researchers wrote:
“Speculatively, these findings may suggest that accelerated cortical thinning in response to early threat does not represent accelerated cortical development, or could suggest that in different environments, different developmental processes are favored (i.e., pruning in threatening environments, myelination in safer environments).”
Further study could help draw additional conclusions about the effects on the child’s well-being, mental health, and other long-term effects. Previous studies have already linked adverse childhood experiences to higher stress levels in adulthood, unsafe or unhealthy lifestyle choices, and poorer physical health outcomes.
What Should We Do To Protect Our Kids?
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to ensure our kids don’t face some of these struggles.
https://www.cdc.gov/aces/prevention/index.htmlWhen families encounter poverty, job loss, relational stress, and other traumatic experiences, kids are affected too, no matter how much the adults work to shield them. The CDC does offer a list of ways that parents and communities can work to protect kids from the most severe effects.
Some of these are actually pretty simple, like making an effort to see the best in your child, praise them, and help develop their self-esteem. Parents are also advised to watch for signs of distress, including changes in school success, anger or withdrawal, and shifts in sleep and eating patterns.
The CDC also recommends advocating for policies that support families in providing adequate nutrition, providing childcare, and supporting flexible employment. They suggest promoting nonviolent behaviors and ensuring that evidence-based parenting training is available for families.
While we can’t prevent every traumatic experience, parents can take significant steps to protect their kids by simply providing a safe and nurturing environment.
