The extraordinary Dunedin longitudinal study shows vaccine resistance can be laid down before high school age in response to childhood trauma or neglect. But better early education could help.
The early childhood years, particularly ages 0-3, are the building blocks of life. In 2018, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the World Bank and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health came up with a framework that highlights the importance of nurturing care for the overall development of a child. Research has shown that adversity faced during early childhood can have a life-long impact. Ogechi Ekeanyanwu of The Conversation Africa asked Robert Hughes, a public health researcher and lecturer on early childhood development, to talk about the effect of toxic stress on children and what proper care looks like.
What is toxic stress and how does it affect children?