Environmental Trauma in Childhood and Development Essay Example

and ensure that within the brain’s genetic potential, the brain can develop capabilities best-suited for the kind of environment the child is raised. Therefore, is the world is characterized by chaos, threats, fear, unpredictability, and trauma, the brain definitely reflects the environment through alteration of the neural systems that are used in fear and stress response (Kenardy& University of Queensland, 2011).

As a matter of fact, many children/ toddlers that are victimized by bullies, mistreated by an adult in their life, assaulted in a criminal manner, or bear witness to domestic violence tend to react to these kinds of violence by forming and developing emotional, learning, or behavioral problems. In fact, most people are ignorant of the fact that adverse experiences like violence have the ability of leading to hidden physical alterations in the body of a child: these alterations are likely to have adverse effects in the physical and health well-being of the children in the long term and even when they are grown up adults(Parritz& Troy, 2011). Acknowledging this issue enhances understanding in developmental psychopathology and can be used in interventions for couples, families, adults, and children in a bid to reduce the effects of violence exposure in childhood. Environmental trauma at childhood affects development in a negative way that inhibits positive development in human beings along other stages in the life cycle (Davies, 2010).

It may be common knowledge that violence is not good for children. In fact, it may be common knowledge that some of the kinds of violence are criminal in nature and may have legal consequences. However, many people still are ignorant of the fact that environmental trauma from things such

as victimization from bullies, criminal assault, and witness to domestic violence lead to negative reactions by the children particularly by developing behavior, emotional, and learning problems. In addition, physical alterations affect their health for the rest of their lives(Davies, 2010). It is important for stress-biology and psychopathology to tackle the issue in the society to promote positive development at this important developmental stage of the life cycle.When children experience violence, learning in school is affected as a child develops aggression, anxiety, and depression as the immediate reactions. In fact, the less visible effects of traumatic conditions from the child’s environment affect the child negatively for decades into the child’s future. Traumatic childhood experiences set a foundation for long term heart diseases and conditions such as dementia (Adler-Tapia, 2012).

Understanding the environmental conditions of a child’s life is essential in ensuring that better environments are created for them to grow and develop. Also, it sets the base upon which strategies can be formulated in reducing the effects environmental trauma may have on the children as well as in grown adults that may have had traumatic experiences at childhood(Davies, 2010).

References

1. Adler-Tapia, R. (2012). Child psychotherapy: Integrating developmental theory into clinical practice. New York: Springer Pub. Co.
2. Davies, D. (2010). Child development: A practitioner's guide. New York: Guilford.
3. Kenardy, J., & University of Queensland. (2011). Childhood trauma reactions: A guide for teachers from preschool to year 12. Brisbane: CONROD.
4. Parritz, R. H., & Troy, M. F. (2011). Disorders of childhood: Development and psychopathology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.