Raising children who have experienced trauma or attachment disorders can present unique challenges and experiences. Supporting and guiding your child requires an understanding of their own stress signals.  In my experience, each of my children responds differently to stress. I’m sure yours will as well. Children who have experienced trauma or attachment difficulties may exhibit a wide range of behaviors that signal their distress. These behaviors can often be misunderstood or overlooked, leading to further challenges in providing effective support. By understanding the neuroscience behind these stress responses, parents and caregivers can gain valuable insights into their child’s inner world and tailor their approach to meet their specific needs.

Neuroscience provides us with a deeper understanding of how the brain responds to stress and adversity.  If you’ve been here a moment, you know from previous posts that when children experience trauma or attachment disruptions, their developing brains may undergo significant changes that impact their emotional regulation, behavior, and relationships. Studying the neural mechanisms behind children’s stress responses can help us better understand why they react the way they do.

When children encounter stress or perceived threats, their brains activate the amygdala, the brain’s alarm system responsible for detecting danger. This triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol, preparing the body to respond to the threat. So, it’s not “all bad” it’s there to help our kids survive.

Cortisol is often referred to as the “stress hormone” because it is released rapidly in response to stressors. This immediate response prepares the body for action, enabling it to react quickly to potential threats or dangers. Cortisol triggers a series of physiological responses aimed at mobilizing energy and resources to cope with the stressor. This includes increasing blood sugar levels, enhancing cardiovascular function, and suppressing non-essential bodily functions like digestion and immune response.

In the short term, cortisol helps the body respond effectively to stressors by providing the energy and resources needed to confront or escape from threats. This is often referred to as the “fight or flight” response, where the body is primed for action. While cortisol is beneficial in acute stress situations, chronic or prolonged elevation of cortisol levels can have detrimental effects on health. Chronic stress can lead to dysregulation of the stress response system, resulting in persistently elevated cortisol levels, which can contribute to a range of health problems, including anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, and immune dysfunction.

While its primary function is to help us respond to genuine threats in our environment, the amygdala can sometimes become overactive or hypersensitive, leading to the initiation of the fight, flight, or freeze response even in situations where there is no immediate danger. This phenomenon, often referred to as amygdala hijacking or amygdala dysregulation, occurs when the amygdala perceives a stimulus as threatening, even if it’s not objectively dangerous. This can happen due to various factors, including past traumatic experiences, learned associations, or heightened states of arousal.

For example, a child who has experienced trauma in the past may have a hypersensitive amygdala that interprets certain stimuli or cues as threatening, triggering a fight, flight, or freeze response. Similarly, individuals with anxiety disorders may have an overactive amygdala that constantly perceives potential threats in their environment, leading to frequent episodes of heightened arousal and stress.  In addition to past experiences and learned associations, other factors such as stress, fatigue, and hormonal fluctuations can also influence amygdala activity, making individuals more prone to experiencing fight, flight, or freeze responses even in non-threatening situations.

Unfortunately, prolonged exposure to elevated cortisol levels can impact brain function, particularly in areas involved in memory, learning, and emotional regulation. Chronic stress has been linked to structural changes in the brain, such as a reduction in the size of the hippocampus, which plays a key role in memory formation and emotional regulation.

Dysregulation of the stress response system and elevated cortisol levels have been implicated in the development of various mental health disorders, including anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Chronic stress can exacerbate existing mental health conditions and increase the risk of developing new ones. In addition to its effects on mental health, chronic stress and dysregulated cortisol levels can also impact physical health. Prolonged stress has been linked to a range of health problems, including hypertension, obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and immune dysfunction.

While cortisol serves an essential role in the body’s response to stress, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. Remember that every child is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Trust your instincts. 

Check out our Parent Hub Resources, for a handout on

• Decoding Your Child’s Stress Signals
• How to recognize if your child is stuck in fight/flight/freeze and interventions families can do at home