I just finished reading this book, The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog, and loved it. I found it quite fascinating and informative. So I thought I would write a quick book report for those of you who don't want to buy a book but are interested in how trauma affects young children and the hope for recovery.
This book has true stories that the write and psychiatrist has dealt with. It is a study about children who have experienced severe trauma in their lives, in the form of neglect or abuse, and the brain development. Several cases are of babies who are neglected by their parents or care givers. Either children in orphanages or by parents who didn't realize it was abusive.
There was a couple babies who were left all alone when they were babies over and over again. Because of this trauma or neglect in their life, their brains didn't get to develop the part that learns attachment. So these kids grew up without being able to form attachments with others. One boy continued to not be helped through the system that is meant to help him, special education classes with other troubled kids. When he was a teenager he ended up killing two girls. And he never felt it was his fault. He wasn't able to have empathy. He became a sociopath.
Other children who were also raised with severe neglect turned out much better. One interesting thing that helped them was to be treated as their emotion age when the neglect happened. For instance, if the child was a baby when they were neglected, they need to be held and rocked. He also suggested massage for therapy and a rhythm class. The child should progress quickly in their emotional age and hopefully reach their actual age.
One other cool story was about a girl who was neglected as an infant who went on to lead a good life. She had a daughter that she took good care of, but the daughter wasn't thriving. After 3 years of medical attention that didn't seem to help, the psychiatrist was able to give his advice. What the mother didn't know/learn was how to nurture. She didn't have the natural instincts to rock and hold her baby and comfort her in that way. So the baby girl was like a runt of a litter who didn't take in nutrients even if she was fed them. So the psychiatrist asked a foster mother to take the mother and daughter in for a time. This foster mother was able to model nurturing to the mother. The first month with this lady the girl gained 10 pounds.
As I think about these examples I want to go to orphanages and hold babies. I now see the importance in just holding a baby. They need consistent, meaning the same caregiver, in their lives, which I can't do. But I do hope that people will step in and help. It also makes me think about some of the girls at our home and what they might have missed out on in their lives. I am more aware and hopefully able to detect if they need more nurturing.
This book has true stories that the write and psychiatrist has dealt with. It is a study about children who have experienced severe trauma in their lives, in the form of neglect or abuse, and the brain development. Several cases are of babies who are neglected by their parents or care givers. Either children in orphanages or by parents who didn't realize it was abusive.
There was a couple babies who were left all alone when they were babies over and over again. Because of this trauma or neglect in their life, their brains didn't get to develop the part that learns attachment. So these kids grew up without being able to form attachments with others. One boy continued to not be helped through the system that is meant to help him, special education classes with other troubled kids. When he was a teenager he ended up killing two girls. And he never felt it was his fault. He wasn't able to have empathy. He became a sociopath.
Other children who were also raised with severe neglect turned out much better. One interesting thing that helped them was to be treated as their emotion age when the neglect happened. For instance, if the child was a baby when they were neglected, they need to be held and rocked. He also suggested massage for therapy and a rhythm class. The child should progress quickly in their emotional age and hopefully reach their actual age.
One other cool story was about a girl who was neglected as an infant who went on to lead a good life. She had a daughter that she took good care of, but the daughter wasn't thriving. After 3 years of medical attention that didn't seem to help, the psychiatrist was able to give his advice. What the mother didn't know/learn was how to nurture. She didn't have the natural instincts to rock and hold her baby and comfort her in that way. So the baby girl was like a runt of a litter who didn't take in nutrients even if she was fed them. So the psychiatrist asked a foster mother to take the mother and daughter in for a time. This foster mother was able to model nurturing to the mother. The first month with this lady the girl gained 10 pounds.
As I think about these examples I want to go to orphanages and hold babies. I now see the importance in just holding a baby. They need consistent, meaning the same caregiver, in their lives, which I can't do. But I do hope that people will step in and help. It also makes me think about some of the girls at our home and what they might have missed out on in their lives. I am more aware and hopefully able to detect if they need more nurturing.
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