Toxic stress of abuse hurts child's development | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

Toxic stress of abuse hurts child's development | The Tennessean | tennessean.com: Stress is inevitable in life, but chronic stressful conditions such as neglect or abuse are called “toxic stress” and can disrupt developing brain architecture. Children exposed to toxic stress early, including exposure to violence (child abuse and domestic violence), as well as hunger, poverty, severe maternal depression, incarceration or death of a parent, develop an exaggerated stress response that, over time, weakens their defense system against diseases, including heart disease, schizophrenia, amnesia and fibromyalgia.