The Fourth Vital Sign

April 7, 2012

Respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure- these are the three vital signs. it is time to add a fourth vital sign- relationships.

In contrast to positive or tolerable stress, toxic stress is defined as the excessive or prolonged activation of the physiologic stress response systems in the absence of the buffering protection afforded by stable, responsive relationships.

A remarkable study coming out of the Yale Child Study Center and described in the New York Times last week shows the wisdom of this focus on relationships. It was a randomized control study of the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention(CFTSI).

Steve Marans, lead author on the study, explains the results.When children are alone with and don’t have words to describe their traumatic reactions, symptoms and symptomatic behaviors are their only means of expression. And caregivers are often unable to understand the connection between the traumatic event and their children’s symptoms and behaviors. To heal, children need recognition and understanding from their caregivers.

Being understood by a person we love is one of our most powerful yearnings, for adults and children alike. The need for understanding is part of what makes us human. When our feelings are validated, we know that we’re not alone.

For a young child, this understanding helps develop his mind and sense of himself. When the people who care for him can reflect back his experience, he learns to recognize and manage his emotions, think more clearly, and adapt to his complex social world

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/childinmind/2012/04/relationships_the_fourth_vital.html