Stress

When your child or someone you know exhibits tantrums and outbursts without any apparent reason, he/she may be stressed. Stress refers to anything that poses a challenge or threat to the quality of our lives. Individuals with learning difficulties, developmental delays, psychological disorders and even those typically-developing people are all prone to stress.

But what makes it harder for children and adults with special needs?

A 30-minute writing task could mean half-a-day’s work for a young person with Learning Difficulties. Someone with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) would take a long time to understand a set of oral instructions from his or her employer. And a learner with Autism would not be able to fully function in a group activity.

Yes, challenges can be good from time to time. But prolonged exposure to these uncomfortable or traumatic experiences can lead to a life-threatening kind of stress if not anxiety and depressive disorders. Researchers from Harvard University identified three kinds of stress responses: positive, tolerable, and toxic.

Positive stress response: A normal and essential for optimum development, characterized by “brief increases in heart rate and mild elevations in hormone levels”.

Tolerable stress response: An activation of the alert systems in the body to a greater degree but still time-limited and can be pacified by relationships. This results from severe, long-lasting difficulties such as a loss of a loved one, natural disaster, or serious injury.

Toxic stress response: A strong, frequent, and/or prolonged difficulties such as:

1. Physical/ Emotional Abuse
2. Neglect
3. Caregiver abuse
4. Mental illness
5. Exposure to violence
6. Economic trials

Prolonged activation of this stress can disrupt the development of brain structure other systems in the body increasing risks to diseases and cognitive impairment later in life.

What’s next?

Continue reading to learn more about stress and how the Tomatis® Method can help you and your family!

But wait, we know how much you value your time, CONTACT US to learn all about it straight from Françoise Nicoloff or from a Tomatis® professional near you!

Early childhood experiences play a large role in their personality later in life. At this stage, the experiences are deliberately creating networks of connections within the brain, that is, wiring. The impacts of such are exhibited on the behaviour, including how a child perceives stress.

However, if he or she repeatedly encounters threatening, stressful situations, the brain learns to activate at such events including similar threats and even after the threat is removed. Hence, there seems to be no stopping the brain to do so. This explains why some people easily overreact to some situations and/or continue to respond even after the threat is removed.

Prolonged stress often leads to learning difficulties, delays in brain development, and problems in coping with life’s demands. Warning signs of brain development imbalance are the following:

1. Impulsiveness
2. Anxiety
3. Poor impulse control
4. Lack of empathy
5. Hyperactivity
6. Inattention
7. Poor problem-solving skills
8. Difficulty in expressing one’s feelings resulting to inappropriate behaviour

High levels of stress in the early childhood years and other traumatic, repetitive experiences throughout adulthood demands too much work for the brain and the body. The stress hormones are constantly fired staying elevated far longer than necessary. This puts your health at risk of:

1. High blood pressure
2. Increased risk of heart attack, heart disease, and other cardiovascular problems
3. Diabetes
4. Headaches
5. Increased depression
6. Weakened immune system
7. Heartburn
8. High blood sugar
9. Insomnia
10. Stomache
11. Pounding heart
12. Low sex drive
13. Fertility problems
14. Missed periods
15. Erectile dysfunction
16. Tensed muscles
17. Rapid breathing
18. Irritability /Anxiety
19. Obesity
20. Personality disorders