A baby starts to learn how to attach within hours following birth. A newborn infant sleeps in comfort and then becomes upset because of being hungry, too hot or too cold, or a wet diaper. The baby’s caregiver feeds the baby, adjusts the clothing, and changes the baby’s diaper all the while stroking, talking to, and making eye contact with the baby. Within a few repetitions of this routine the baby very quickly learns that he or she will be taken care of. Trust is established and the baby soon recognizes the caregiver and responds with smiles and coos causing the caregiver to bond with the baby and a relationship is built.
Babies who are denied consistent care or don’t perceive that care is being given miss out on the recurring cycle of feeling cared for and become apprehensive and afraid. If prolonged trust of care is absent, a baby may resorts to the next best solution; if no one else will protect them, then they will do it themselves. The baby establishes a pattern of self-parenting, and attachment disorders may develop.
A self-parenting child is anxious, angry, isolated and lonely. Multiple caretakers no matter how competent are devastating to an infant’s healthy development. Very young babies can cope with some shifting but, eventually the investing and losing, investing and losing causes a child to give up hope. When this happens a little one can suffer profound emotionally changes.
Infants born drug affected or very ill may suffer from prolonged stays in the hospital and may spend time with a parent unable to meet their needs. Young babies placed in the foster care system invariable experience moves because of unavoidable circumstances including the possibility of several returns to their birthparents before parental rights are terminated. A child moved routinely through even the finest foster homes in the nation may develop some degree of an attachment disorder.
Parents adopting any baby other then a newborn should understand attachment and the issues that cause attachment disorders as well as ways to help their child overcome and learn to accept and attach with their parents.
Special Needs and Adoption-Related Terms:
A | B | C | D | E-F | G-H-I | J-K-L | M | N-O | P | Q-R | S | T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z
For more information about parenting special needs children you might want to visit the Families.com Special Needs Blog and the Mental Health Blog. Or visit my personal website.
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