Primal prevention
escaping societal stress
What it is all about
Observations in humans [2, 3, 4, 5] – as in other primates and mammals [6, 7, 8, 9, 10] – indicate that chronic stress, which more and more parents-to-be are likely to endure during their offspring's primal period, may deteriorate the intimate environment of the fœtus and newborn with possibly heavy, lifelong consequences.
While it has long been recognized that our social skills are revealed during early childhood [1], current epigenetic evidence indicates that the critical period of our development really starts at conception. It's indeed from this very beginning that an adequate humoral-tactile-affective environment allows the fœtus and newborn to build a serene personality, a strong resilience [60] and good somatic and psychic healths.
While it has long been recognized that our social skills are revealed during early childhood [1], current epigenetic evidence indicates that the critical period of our development really starts at conception. It's indeed from this very beginning that an adequate humoral-tactile-affective environment allows the fœtus and newborn to build a serene personality, a strong resilience [60] and good somatic and psychic healths.
Personal + societal challenge
Young adults in our unequal, competitive societies may be at a loss to escape chronic stress and its various consequences for the child they're about to conceive. In the absence of social laws aimed at helping them meet the challenge, most of these future new parents must prepare to call on third-type kin caregiving.
Plus, it's hard to understand how public-health professionals and politicians in so-called developed countries may still behave as if they ignored the distant early warning from an exploding new knowledge in life sciences. Or is it ? [64].
Plus, it's hard to understand how public-health professionals and politicians in so-called developed countries may still behave as if they ignored the distant early warning from an exploding new knowledge in life sciences. Or is it ? [64].
What will change
Disquieting results of social-epidemiology observations in unequal modern societies will be re-interpreted as reflecting the global effect of epigenetic impacts of societal stress [65] on individuals during their primal period. Privileged young people already allowed to take a career break during their child’s primal period may be the first sign that a major cultural blind spot will disappear [11]. Sooner or later everyone will do primal prevention: eveyone will have the desire – and the possibility ! – to give their coming child a sustained attention in a secure, affective environment.