Interesting article. My older brother has trouble showing emotion. Mum told once how she got him into routine by letting him cry. She kept going in a checking on him but he had to learn. That was 54 yrs ago. Cheers Judy
--- barbara glare & chris bright <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > Crying could cause brain damage > > By Robin Yapp > > 01 December 2004 > > > > LEAVING children to cry without offering any comfort could > cause lasting > > damage to their brains, it was claimed yesterday. > > > > British psychologist Professor Margot Sunderland said high > rates of > > depression and emotional problems in teenagers may be the > result of > ignoring > > their distress earlier in life. > > Persistent distress as a child could lead to lasting changes > in the brain, > > including shrinkage of an area that links its emotional and > logical sides. > > Expert opinion has been divided over the years on whether > parents, to > > encourage a regular sleep routine, should leave babies and > toddlers to cry > > until they fall asleep rather than rushing to their side. > > Professor Sunderland's book, for which she reviewed more > than 700 > scientific > > papers, said this was potentially dangerous advice. > > "The blunt truth is that uncomforted distress may cause > damage to the > > child's developing brain," said Professor Sunderland, who is > director of > > training at the Centre for Child Mental Health in London. > > "If you ignore a crying child, tell them to shut up or put > them in a room > on > > their own, you can cause serious damage to their brains on a > level that > can > > result in severe neurosis and emotional disorders later in > life." > > The dramatic claims are the latest chapter in one of the > most hotly > debated > > areas of child care. > > Some experts, such as child psychologist Dr Penelope Leach, > say parents > must > > take the attitude that "baby knows best" and encourage > mothers to follow > > their maternal instincts to cuddle their child when he or > she cries. > > But Gina Ford, a leading maternity nurse, said parents > should stick to > > schedules for feeding and sleeping in order to help get > children into a > > routine and should resist picking up a crying child during > sleep times. > > Professor Sunderland said brain scans showed that stress > early in life > could > > shrink an area of the brain called the corpus callosum. > > This is a bundle of nerve fibres which connects the brain's > right > > hemisphere, which is associated with emotion, to the left > hemisphere, > which > > is associated with logic. > > "Parents should never try to persuade their child out of > feeling a certain > > emotion," she said. > > "It is important to prove to them you are empathising > through the time you > > give them and the language and facial expressions you use. > > "If your child is upset, you will increase rather than > reduce their > feelings > > of stress by not taking their upset seriously. > > "Attempting to jolly them out of the mood will result in > them > internalising > > their stresses." > > > > Debbie Kopel, > > Prahran/Malvern group, Vic, > > Training stuff, > > Ass.s' Adv, T.Sec, etc, > > Qualified 1986, > > Hubby Nathan (1981), Mum to Nic(12/1/84), Elise(6/4/1986), > Simon(1/3/1990) > > > > Mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > --------------------~--> > > Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. > > Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! > > http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/VaTolB/TM > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ababcnet/ > > > > <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or > unsubscribe. > Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies. http://au.movies.yahoo.com -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
