Research suggests that allowing a baby to "cry it out" causes brain damage.
by Dr. Stephen Juan
Experts warn that allowing a baby to "cry it out" causes extreme distress to the baby. And such extreme distress in a newborn has been found to block the full development of certain areas of the brain and causes the brain to produce extra amounts of cortisol, which can be harmful.
According to a University of Pittsburgh study by Dr. DeBellis and seven colleagues, published in Biological Psychiatry in 2004, children who suffer early trauma generally develop smaller brains.
A Harvard University study by Dr. Teicher and five colleagues, also published in Biological Psychiatry, claims that the brain areas affected by severe distress are the limbic system, the left hemisphere, and the corpus callosum. Additional areas that may be involved are the hippocampus and the orbitofrontal cortex.
The Science of Parenting (2006) by Dr. Margot Sunderland points out some of the brain damaging effects that can occur if parents fail to properly nurture a baby -- and that includes forcing them to "cry it out." Dr. Sunderland, who is the director of education and training at the Centre for Child Mental Health in London, draws upon work in neuroscience to come to her conclusions and recommendations about parenting practice.
In the first parenting book to link parent behavior with infant brain development, Dr. Sunderland describes how the infant brain is still being "sculpted" after birth. Parents have a major role in this brain "sculpting" process.
Dr. Sunderland argues that it is crucial that parents meet the reasonable emotional needs of the infant. This is helped along by providing a continuously emotionally nurturant environment for the infant.
Allowing a baby to “cry it out” when they are upset will probably be regarded as child abuse by future generations.
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For more on 'sleep training,' 'crying it out' (CIO) and 'controlled crying', see:
BOOKS:
*The No-Cry Sleep Solution
*The Baby Sleep Book
*Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering
*The Baby Bond
*Natural Family Living
*The Baby Book
*The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost
*Baby Matters
*Attachment Parenting: A Commonsense Guide to Understanding & Nurturing Your Baby
*Primal Health: Understanding the Critical Period Between Conception and the First Birthday
*The Attachment Connection: Parenting A Secure & Confident Child
*Attachment Parenting: Instinctive Care for Your Baby & Young Child
*Mothering Magazine
LINKED ARTICLES:
Excessive Crying Harmful to Babies
Being Wise to Babywise [advocates for CIO, 'controlled crying' and 'sleep training']
The Dangers of Leaving Baby to Cry It Out (CIO)
Ask the Experts: Sleep Training
Dangers of Your Baby 'Crying It Out'
The Con of Controlled Crying
Healthy Infant Sleep
Should Baby Soothe Himself to Sleep?
Sleeping Through the Night
The No-Cry Sleep Solution
Biological Imperatives: Why Babies Do Not and Should Not Sleep Alone
Where Should Babies Sleep at Night? A Review of Evidence
Sleeping Like a Baby
10 Reasons to Sleep by Your Baby
Breastfeeding, Nightwaking: Protection from SIDS
Solitary or Shared Sleep: What is Safe?
Babies Not Designed to Sleep Alone
Baby Sleep: A Review of Research [with links to articles]
Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go
Primal Love & Mothering
Night Time Parenting: A Practical Approach for the Reduction of Attachment Disorders and the Promotion of Emotionally Secure Children
WEBSITES:
Co-Sleeping vs. Crib Fact & Statistic Sheet
Baby Sleep Institute and McKenna Library of Research
To connect with other parents and get in on Sleep Forums:
SafeBedSharing.Org
I am the mom of 4 wonderful kids, 3 boys and 1 girl. Looking at them, you know I have had many years working with and enriching the lives of children. I have an Associates (Magna Cum Laude) in Business Management, and a Bachelors in Early childhood Development and Education with a concentration in Child Psychology. I have almost 20 years in the Early Childhood field, and loving every minute of it! You can visit my site here
*The Baby Sleep Book
*Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering
*The Baby Bond
*Natural Family Living
*The Baby Book
*The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost
*Baby Matters
*Attachment Parenting: A Commonsense Guide to Understanding & Nurturing Your Baby
*Primal Health: Understanding the Critical Period Between Conception and the First Birthday
*The Attachment Connection: Parenting A Secure & Confident Child
*Attachment Parenting: Instinctive Care for Your Baby & Young Child
*Mothering Magazine
LINKED ARTICLES:
Excessive Crying Harmful to Babies
Being Wise to Babywise [advocates for CIO, 'controlled crying' and 'sleep training']
The Dangers of Leaving Baby to Cry It Out (CIO)
Ask the Experts: Sleep Training
Dangers of Your Baby 'Crying It Out'
The Con of Controlled Crying
Healthy Infant Sleep
Should Baby Soothe Himself to Sleep?
Sleeping Through the Night
The No-Cry Sleep Solution
Biological Imperatives: Why Babies Do Not and Should Not Sleep Alone
Where Should Babies Sleep at Night? A Review of Evidence
Sleeping Like a Baby
10 Reasons to Sleep by Your Baby
Breastfeeding, Nightwaking: Protection from SIDS
Solitary or Shared Sleep: What is Safe?
Babies Not Designed to Sleep Alone
Baby Sleep: A Review of Research [with links to articles]
Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go
Primal Love & Mothering
Night Time Parenting: A Practical Approach for the Reduction of Attachment Disorders and the Promotion of Emotionally Secure Children
WEBSITES:
Co-Sleeping vs. Crib Fact & Statistic Sheet
Baby Sleep Institute and McKenna Library of Research
To connect with other parents and get in on Sleep Forums:
SafeBedSharing.Org
I am the mom of 4 wonderful kids, 3 boys and 1 girl. Looking at them, you know I have had many years working with and enriching the lives of children. I have an Associates (Magna Cum Laude) in Business Management, and a Bachelors in Early childhood Development and Education with a concentration in Child Psychology. I have almost 20 years in the Early Childhood field, and loving every minute of it! You can visit my site here