In the aftermath, Simpson would often ask her daughter what had made her so mad. Meltdowns, common as they are among young children, are a complicated physiological response related to the brain’s threat detection system. During the stress response, your child might experience a racing heartbeat, sweaty palms and tense muscles (or just an overwhelming urge to punch you). As much as you may want to reason with your writhing child, don’t expect her to listen. For one thing, the stress response can dampen a child’s already-limited capacity for self control, a function generally associated with the prefrontal cortex, or PFC.

Source: New York Times October 15, 2020 18:22 UTC