“Developmental Trauma is the term used to describe the impact of early, repeated trauma and loss which happens within the child’s important relationships, and usually early in life.”*

When stress responses are repeatedly activated over an extended period in a developing foetus, infant or toddler, the normal sequential development of the brain is disturbed. Effectively, the ‘priority’ for the developing child is survival, and therefore, we tend to see an over-activation of the neural pathways that process information for survival. Sensory-wise, there is often an over reliance on our distal or protective senses (vision, hearing, and smell) and therefore these children often present with hypervigilance and over-sensitivity of these systems. Many are also sensitive and defensive to light touch experiences. Additionally, we also often see an underdevelopment of our ‘body senses’ which impacts how safe we feel in our body as well as impacting on our motor skills and posture etc.

In addition to this impact upon the development of our sensory systems, children can also develop mal-adaptive survival responses. These fight-flight-freeze behaviours are normal responses to threat or danger, but following trauma can become over-sensitive, maladaptive and problematic for the child.

Developmental trauma can impact children throughout their lives, even if they are moved into loving and caring, safe environments. Therapeutic parenting and appropriate therapeutic intervention can help to regulate and re-set a child’s nervous system to support both physical and emotional development.

(*Beacon House: The Repair of Early Trauma: A Bottom Up Approach)