Silva Cortisol, Breastfeeding and the Wellbeing of the Person

Silva Cortisol, Breastfeeding and the Well-being of the Person

            The parent’s responsivity plays an important role in the well- being of their kids. One study found that a child's cortisol levels were affected by the amount of attention and care given to the child by the parent at early ages (Hackman et al. 2013). Hackman found that parent responsivity during early childhood is predictive of the cortisol social stressor level. The less the parent gives care and support to their child the greater the likelihood is of the child having increased stress and cortisol levels. The opposite also holds true. The study uses the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenals (HPA) axis reactivity to stress models. The study controlled two factors: the stress reactivity and the executive function. The outcomes were then correlated with the health of the children. Additionally, this study considered other factors such as abuse, coping with stress, and violence.

. 

            In another study neuroscientists found that the surface area of the cerebral cortex correlated positively with family income (Layton 2015). For families earning less than $25,000 a year the surface area of the children's brain was smaller than children of families making more than this. Additionally, those children with smaller surface area scored lower in all cognitive test than their counterparts. Another study found that of the gifted students in one metropolitan area a majority of them were from affluent neighborhoods. After this disparity was found the school district broadened the number of students that were tested. After this change 80 percent more  

black students and 130 percent more Hispanic students were now entering gifted programs in third grade. 

            Benefits of more active and responsivity based parenting are not limited to the children. (Woodward 2008). In another study it was discovered that the mother experiences lower stress levels if she breastfed her child than if she did not and is more likely to develop an attachment to the child. This links to what Dr. Hackman says are the important components of good parenting.

Works Cited

Guo, Jeff. These kids were geniuses — they were just too poor for anyone to discover them. The    Washington Post, 2015. Web. 8 December 2015.

Layton, Lyndey. New brain science shows poor kids have smaller brains than affluent kids. The    Washington Post, 2015. Web. 8 December 2015.

Hackman, Daniel, et al. Selective Impact of Early Parental Responsivity on Adolescent Stress         Reactivity. PLoS ONE, 2013. Web. 8 December 2015.

Woodward, Lianne & Liberty, Kathleen. Breastfeeding and Child Psychosocial Development.      University of Canterbury. 2008. Web. 8 December 2015.