The kids are all right in daycare

A recent study on cortisol levels of children who are cared for outside the home may be causing unnecessary concern

Dr Aric Sigman made headlines with a recent article entitled biologist, Mother Superior, the biological effects of child care. Sigman pointed to research showing that levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress, increases during the day for children at daycare. He linked this observation in a series of studies showing adverse effects of cortisol on the mental and physical health, with particular emphasis on brain function. The Daily Mail has reported its findings: "The delivery of babies and toddlers to the nursery could do incalculable damage to brain development and future health."

Before parents and policy makers act on this information, you should ask several questions. First, it is Aric Sigman and what are their qualifications? Secondly, represented their views accurately? Third, it must accurately represent the scientific research on this subject?

On the first point, a Google search reveals that Sigma has a history of attracting the attention of a number of dangers facing our children, including the Internet, indulgent parents and television. There seems no affiliation and no CV on his website. To view your search history, I tried Web of Knowledge, a database that lists the publications in the literature. This drew a blank: a pair of conference abstracts of hypnotism dates back to 1980

• His reputation is not helped by the fact that lists member the. Royal Society of Medicine. In short, it sounds like an honor, but it is not: it is a title available for those who have a Ph.D. to pay an annual fee
• Sigman views were accurately represented by the media? One day before his speech was that he issued a warning, given the focus on the negative was to correct a balance that had been introduced too in the sense of considering child care as a healthy practice accepted. Potential damage, he said, meant that the researchers relied exclusively on the tests were based on evidence dangerous.

In fact, "is likely to be those with an open mind on this subject to provide overwhelming evidence that workers in the child's wages can cause the same intimate interactions that often occur only between mothers and babies. "Seems so there is a reason for the media portray him as someone who wants the crib is a health risk to children. His comments on the damage to health in the long term potential are similar to their previous statements on television and the Internet.

proof we leave to our peril. The world is full of threats and dangers, and not always easy to anticipate that new developments will be beneficial, harmful or neutral. In the debate on child care, cortisol and brain function, there are some facts that almost everyone would agree. Yes, there is an increase in cortisol during the day between the children who attend daycare. And yes, the ever increasing long-term cortisol levels, as is sometimes depressed adults, are harmful to health. But other results. A study of primates reported that the increased cortisol that was caused by episodes of separation of a mother baby monkey was associated with better outcomes in terms of brain function. Studies in animals and humans suggest that in some places experiences mild stress may be adaptive and improving skills. However, as noted in my blog, Sigman ignored or selectively test reports of the more nuanced position. He justified his unilateral approach of the evidence on the grounds that "if openness has its place in academia, is a luxury, children can not pay."

I disagree :. What can not afford is the assumption that we know all the answers, and it is wrong to provide evidence of a selective response to a privileged position, however well intentioned

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