For too many children, however, these experiences result in scars that, if not indelible, are exceedingly difficult to erase. Experts say that traumatic early experiences can cause a normal child to become developmentally delayed or develop serious emotional problems. The human brain is not fully developed at birth and represents only 25 percent of its approximate weight at adulthood. It depends upon individual experiences to guide its growth and development. By three years old, a child's brain has reached approximately 90 percent of its full potential.
Early trauma alters the development of the brain.
Failure to properly nourish a child, inflicting physical pain and injury or simply ignoring the emotional needs of a small child can cause trauma. Damage can be significantly more detrimental than other diseases that affect the brain and can often be corrected through drugs or surgery. The neural connections established during the early years of life respond to certain patterns. Traumatic experiences, for example, when a child endures physical or sexual abuse, or witnesses violence, can increase the production of cortisol, a brain hormone that can lead to a destruction of neurons and a reduction in synapse formation, thus altering brain function. Chemical levels in the brain and blood play a role in determining how a person will respond to challenges in the environment.