Parents are often reminded to keep harmful substances out of their child’s reach. But what if a child’s experiences at home were as toxic to their health as household solvents and cleaners?
On a basic level, toxins are poisonous substances that lead to disease. Although not stored in a bottle or on a shelf, stress in childhood meets the criteria.
The phrase “toxic stress” describes the body’s reaction to negative experiences that are not only intense and chronic but also caused by the absence of safe, stable and nurturing adult relationships. Toxic stress “gets under our skin” to change the way we respond to our environment and can lead to disease and disability across the lifespan.
[For more of this story, written by Melissa Bright, go to https://theconversation.com/wh...stress-in-kids-77387]
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