Mental health articles

Effect of high-risk environments on infant mental health
Babies and infants in high-risk environments are at risk of forming disturbed
attachments with their primary caregivers because of the unavailability of a consistently nurturing parent. Infants with insecure and disorganised
attachments struggle to develop emotional self-regulation, as it is within a
secure attachment that the neural pathways of the brain are formed that regulate
emotions and the infant’s response to stressful situations (Gunnar, 2000). Major
disruptions to the bond between baby and caregiver damage the foundation of
his development and interfere with the infant’s developmental trajectory
(Schore, 2002). As discussed in Chapter 10, trauma in infancy is unique in nature;
it is woven into the moment-to-moment interactions between infant and
caregiver .Repeated or chronic stress is associated with disruption to the autonomic nervous system and disrupts the capacity to regulate affect .
Schore (2002) states that all forms of psychopathology have embedded
symptoms of emotion dysregulation.
Thus, behavioural outcomes of children left too long in high-risk situations
can have a range of manifestations that may include:
• attachment disruption, distortion or disorder

• externalising behaviour problems (tantrums, aggression)
• chronic depression or anxiety
• failure to meet physical, cognitive and emotional developmental milestones.
When the family environment is considered inadequate and the risk to the
infant too great, or when maltreatment in any form is found to have occurred,
infants and children may be removed from parental care. The intention is clearly
to ensure the infant’s safety and to maximise his opportunity for optimal
development. For a range of systemic and practical reasons, removal from
parental care is not without consequences for the infant.

Tags: Health, infant, Mental health