Primal prevention: a challenge
What it is all about
In our competitive societies, parents-to-be are very likely to endure chronic stress during the primal period of their future child. The latter's intimate environment is thereby unfavorably altered, with likely longterm effects [2, 3, 4, 5]. Similar damages have been observed in other primates and mammals [6, 7, 8, 9, 10].
It has long been recognized that an individual's social skills are revealed during its early childhood [1]. Today, current epigenetic evidence indicates that the most critical period of development really starts at conception. It is 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.
It has long been recognized that an individual's social skills are revealed during its early childhood [1]. Today, current epigenetic evidence indicates that the most critical period of development really starts at conception. It is 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 and societal challenges
Young adults may be at a loss when trying to escape chronic stress and its various consequences for the child they're about to conceive. In the absence of adequate social laws, most of these new parents must prepare to call on third-type kin caregiving to meet the challenge of primal prevention.
As a matter of fact, it is hard to understand how public-health professionals – who largely determine the decisions of politicians – may still behave (in so-called developed countries) as if they ignored the distant early warning from an exploding new knowledge in life sciences. Or is it ? [64].
As a matter of fact, it is hard to understand how public-health professionals – who largely determine the decisions of politicians – may still behave (in so-called developed countries) 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 developed countries will have to be re-interpreted as reflecting the global effect of epigenetic impacts of societal stress [65] on all 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 is about to be cured [11]. Sooner or later primal prevention will be common practice, because eveyone will have not only the desire, but also the undefiled possibility to devote their sustained attention to their coming child in a secure, affective environment.