The Pit and the Peach
Recently, we bought a bag of peaches at the grocery. My kids had never eaten a fresh peach (a tragedy and parent fail, I know). They had only eaten the pre-cut sliced ones in the little plastic fruit cups.
Avery, my youngest daughter, will usually eat anything and everything. But to my surprise, she thought the fresh peach looked SO different from what she was used to that it couldn't possibly taste the same. I explained to her that it would taste better because it was fresher. Still, she couldn't get past how vastly different the plump little peach looked from the overprocessed, cubed ones she was accustomed to.
I cut one of the fuzzy little fruits open and showed her the peach's different parts to pique her interest. I pointed out the fleshy part under the skin we eat (the part that she's used to) and then the hard pit nestled in the middle. It was a simple and brief illustration, but the demonstration of the different parts of a peach hung with me for a few days after.
Then I listened to a Webinar on ADDitude.com on the effects of trauma and stress on children's brains and thought it ironic that they related the parts of a developing brain to the parts of a peach.
Here are some pretty cool things I learned that were too "juicy" not to share!
If the brain is a peach, then the "pit" in the middle is the lower brain center responsible for processing our "survival" functions that keep us alive- such as heart rate, respiration, pupil dilation, etc. The juicy, fleshy part of the brain (or the part of the peach we eat) is responsible for higher-order processing such as long-term memory, forethought, ability to use hindsight, etc. The base/pit part of the brain and the fleshy part work together most of the time, but under stress, the survival part of the brain wins. When our brain is triggered to feel like we're in "survival mode," the pit gets more resources than the higher parts, which creates an imbalance. We become hyper-aware of things and stressors around us, which triggers unhealthy, stressful chemicals to be dumped into the bloodstream. The fleshy part of the brain is bathed in an overproduction of cortisol and adrenaline, which can have a long-term impact on a developing brain, particularly that of a child.
Under stress, a developing brain can struggle to perform higher-order problem solving, including forethought, problem-solving, planning, organization, memory, and learning…these parts of the brain can actually be physically smaller.
If the "pit" is in charge, the fleshy part isn't running the show as it should. "Survival mode" is running the show, and higher-level thinking isn't in the driver's seat. This child is so busy trying to figure out the next threat. They may be hypersensitive to sounds or easily overstimulated because they are constantly assessing for a "threat"...it may not be a physical threat they're self-defending against; it may be an emotional threat or simply the perceived threat of stress that causes an over-reaction or an irrational perception of the reality around them. This child may have difficulty controlling impulses or processing too much information at one time. They may practice social avoidance or have difficulty carrying out social interactions.
It can be challenging to distinguish between a child who has a biological predisposition to these tendencies and a child who develops these tendencies due to environmental stressors or trauma. Sometimes it can be a combination of both. Is it ADHD? Trauma? A learning disorder? Both? That's where diagnosticians and clinicians like those we have here at Wilson Pediatric Therapy & Learning Center can help. The physiological makeup of the brain and outward manifestations can be similar regardless of whether the development was stunted due to childhood trauma or stress or whether they were born with a genetic predisposition to be wired that way. Therefore, the therapeutic approach can be very much the same regardless of the "why."
It is fascinating that a child's stress or trauma can have a physical, long-term consequence on a developing brain that can stunt their higher-level thinking abilities. It makes me want to be more aware of my three little ones and how they may display signs of stress in their behavior.
It was encouraging to pick up tips from the Webinar that teachers and parents alike can use in their approach to being sensitive to children and their fragile, peachy little brains. Not all stress is "bad" or traumatic stress. Sometimes it can be stress over an upcoming test, Or because mom or dad yelled in the car on the way to school. Or maybe a family member is ill. What can we do as key grown-ups in these kiddos' lives to help? We can educate ourselves on how to support those "stressed", fuzzy, maybe even bruised little peach brains around us:
Simplify your language.
Show AND tell. Use picture lists where possible when giving instructions.
Externalize important information, don't assume. Stressed brains don't pick up on smaller nuances.
Keep routines low-stress, consistent, and regular. School should be as calm and predictable as possible because the opposite may be true at home for some children.
Research and implement "mindfulness" techniques- ways to bring the body back down and exercise control over the "pit" features of the brain. Get out of "fight or flight" survival mode.
Today I had a moment where I was trying to complete an important task at home, and the kids were arguing and bickering more than usual. It created a tense environment to work in, and I had an admittedly weak moment. I got overstressed and overstimulated, and I overreacted. I got onto them, and later I was thinking…was my "pit brain" in control because I was stressed about completing my task? Was I operating in "survival mode" and forgoing higher-level thinking processes and problem-solving? Did I activate the "pit brain" in my kids when I reacted too harshly towards them because of my stress?
I'm now more aware of my "peachy" brain, and when I need to check, who's more in control…the pit or the peach? I can also more easily recognize behaviors in my own children and try to objectively measure whether the pit or the peach is in control at that moment…are they reacting in survival mode due to stress, or are they using high-level thinking skills to problem solve and nurture the relationships around them? As their mommy, I can be proactive in being more sensitive and engaged in regards to what kind of environment or atmosphere I'm cultivating around them…am I going to nurture their "pitt-y" side or their "peach-y" side today?
I had more fun explaining the parts of the peach this way than I did with the bag of peaches we bought (that the kids never ate, might I add). Now my kids and I are more aware of our thoughts and behaviors, and we are more proactive in making space for mindfulness techniques when we get overstressed or overstimulated.
Our new motto… let's be "peach-y" today!
So let's be peachy today, folks, and let's help the kiddos in our lives develop strong, healthy, sweet, peachy little brains :)
Source:
https://www.additudemag.com/webinar/brain-development-stress-trauma-anxiety-adhd-mental-health/
Speaker: Cheryl Chase, PhD