Toxic stress is the cause of many learning problems in students.  Many children that attend school, have students with educational needs.  It’s known that prolonged stress at home disrupts physical and mental development.  Therefore, trauma at home can affect a child’s health and education. Constant physical and/or mental abuse results in ‘toxic stress’.  Also, exposure to violence adds to the cause.  Toxic stress causes an inability for children to learn and control their emotions.

Stress Is Not Always Toxic

There are various types of stress of which not all are toxic.

•   Stress may be positive.  It is a normal part of life and healthy development.  When stress means experiencing something new, it provides an opportunity to learn.

•  Stress that is tolerable activates the body and lasts longer.  It is the result of a more severe event such as illness, injury, bullying and/or divorce. Many options that relieve this type of stress can be found in a school counselor’s office or a Dr.’s office.

•   Last, toxic stress occurs when there is a strong or prolonged stress from multiple events. Also, it grows when there is no adult support for the child.

Common stressors are school, family, media and environment.  Thus, it causes wear and tear on the body.  Consequently, causing emotional difficulties later in life and can continue from generation to generation. Children come to school in a ‘fight or flight’ manner.

Solving the Problem of Toxic Stress

An approach to toxic stress starts with the premise that extreme stress or trauma can cause brain changes that may interfere with learning, extreme troubling behavior, and health problems. Therefore, the goal is to identify affected children and families and provide services to treat or prevent continued stress. This can include parenting classes, addiction treatment for parents, school and police-based programs and psychotherapy. Specialists and educators are taking an approach to the toxic stress drama. The approach deals with the treatment and prevention of continued stress. Therefore, it includes treatment and parenting classes.

Children need programs that provide them with security and a safe, loving atmosphere.  They need parent-child relationships that give support and provide trust. They need structure and predictability.  Most of all, they need space. Space where they can voice their fear, worries, and feelings.