Why Love Matters: How affection shapes a baby's brain

Description

Why Love Matters reveals how loving relationships shape brain development in early childhood and why these formative connections influence emotional and physical health throughout life. This updated second edition incorporates scientific research on genetics and the mind-body connection, and a chapter exploring how experiences during pregnancy lay the groundwork for a baby’s future well-being. At the heart of the book is an examination of how early stress affects a baby or toddler’s developing nervous system. When early relationships falter, a young child must adapt and we now understand that the brain adapts alongside them. The systems governing emotion and immunity are especially sensitive to early adversity and, when compromised, they can leave a child more susceptible to challenges later in life, including depression, antisocial behaviour, addiction, eating disorders and physical illness.