PART IV: How Trauma Affects Early Childhood
Our next discussion Part IV includes the discussion of the effects trauma has on early childhood
Childhood trauma shapes the development of the brain in terms of behaviour, relationships, and emotions.
The brain stem or reptilian brain regulates biological functions as mentioned; the midbrain regulates emotions; and the cortex, or logical brain is responsible for problem-solving and executive functioning. Traumatic experiences during childhood can disrupt the normal development of the midbrain and cortex.
How?
When the reptilian brain which doesn’t have the capacity to think is activated, it reacts without reasoning and does not know the difference between the association with the bushy beard of an abuser during the early childhood years and the bearded waiter bending over the person to pour water many years later. Trauma symptoms are misplaced in terms of person, time, and place, and only experience a threat at the moment that causes a survival reaction. Submission or pleasing the robber comes from the same stimulus-response.
Our next discussion includes the discussion of different methods of treatment
Dr Annemie Peche
082 33 561 33