Children who are unable to form an attachment with caregivers early in life may be impaired in relationships (Children’s Bureau et al., 2001). Emotional development begins with this first relationship. Other results of poor emotional development are the inability to control emotions and a lack of awareness of others’ emotions (Children’s Bureau et al., 2001). Children who have been deprived of stimulation in more than one area, such as touch, social interaction, and language, have been found to have significantly smaller brains than other children their age, including enlarged ventricles (Children’s Bureau et al., 2001).
Treatment
Although treatments exist that may decrease the effects of abuse and trauma, prevention is clearly the best answer. Reversing the effects of early childhood abuse and trauma is more than difficult and becomes increasingly complex with age.
Medication
Psychopharmacology has much to offer in the treatment of abuse and trauma. Medications may improve the brain’s potential for improvement (Hernandez et al., 2004). One example, sertraline, is the first antidepressant to be approved for treatment of PTSD (Adis International Limited, 2001). Studies have shown that sertraline is effective in treating PTSD symptoms among women. However, the studies did contain at least three times as many women than men (Adis International Limited, 2001). There is a possibility that in a larger sample size of men sertraline would be proven to be statistically significantly more effective.