Toxic Stress In Children

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People are exposed to numerous amounts of positive and negative events throughout their lifetime. No one is given a life that is perfect or free from difficulty. Whether it is a death in the family, chronic illness, house fire, automobile accident, or any other type of impacting event, stressors are bound to occur throughout one’s life. Since people are constantly exposed to stressors in life, it is essential that one is able to adequately cope. There are three types of responses to stress. The first is the positive stress response, which is a normal and brief response to stress and is characterized by a mild increase in heart rate (“Toxic Stress,” 2017). One example of a positive stress response could be the slight apprehension one feels before …show more content…

Research has shown that children who are at highest risk for toxic stress are those exposed to social isolation, poverty, family violence, and parents with substance abuse or depression (Franke, 2014). If adults and authority figures can identify toxic stress in children during the early stages, measures can be taken to prevent the harmful effects that are associated with this high stress level. Treatment of toxic stress should be aimed towards helping children learn to deal with stress in a healthy manner and responding to the child’s needs (Franke, 2014). Providing children with a strong support system is crucial so children have an outlet to communicate with and receive advice on healthy coping mechanisms. Examples of a buffering support system could be a parent, relative, social worker, or counselor. Recent research has also found that treatment of toxic stress can occur through teaching relaxation methods such as breathing techniques and guided imagery (Franke, 2014). It may also be beneficial to focus on the caretaker of the child by providing educational opportunities regarding toxic stress and by administering social resources for the parents, such as parenting classes to help with problem solving skills (Franke, 2014). It is also important that the nation as a whole raise awareness of the issue of toxic stress and provide schools, …show more content…

I do feel I had the opportunity to experience toxic stress, but I was lucky enough to have a strong support system during the most difficult times in my life to help buffer my experiences. I feel that I have really only exhibited a tolerable stress response in my life. I believe my life was shaken up the most when my parents divorced. I was only ten years old when it happened. After the divorce, my whole world started to shift. My mother went through a depression and spent time in multiple rehab centers. My siblings and I were forced to go live with my grandparents for a little while and had to change schools. The shakeup in my environment left me going through my middle school years with uncertainty and an inconsistent routine. I was always wondering which parent would pick me up from school, who would I live with each weekend, and which church I would be attending on Sundays. It was an extremely stressful situation and definitely had the potential to cause toxic stress in my life. I feel that my grandparents were the reason this situation did not progress to toxic stress in my life. My grandparents were my solid rock during that season in my life. My grandparents were always available, even when I did not know if I could count on my own parents. My grandparents gave me so much love and support and let me talk through all my feelings with them. I firmly believe they are the ones who got me

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