How Does Understimulation Affect Children Up to Age 7?

Question

Let's say that a mother leaves her baby in a playpen all day long with no stimulation or attention, and that this has been going on daily until the child was 2 years old. (And has only breast-fed for a week). Assuming that the baby had all his basic needs fulfilled (food, blankets, adequate conditions), but was NEVER socialized, and left in a playpen with a rattle and maybe a stuffed animal. And once the child was 3, was left at a nursery school all day, where they did not provide much stimulation/learning opportunities for the child. How would the child be affected socially & mentally? Other than the obvious effect of boredom and loneliness.

Never read to the child, never played with him, never "taught" the baby anything, never at least played classical music for the child or even popped in a Baby Einstein DVD.

Answer 1

I _wish_ I could cite a source for this, but it's just a "I read in a book a little while ago" that the effects of that sort of thing had been studied to some extent -- thanks to orphanages -- and, in severe cases, permanent mental retardation was the end result.

Of interest:

http://www.feralchildren.com/en/index.php

Answer 2

u ever heard of the wolf girl? or chicken baby? remember the chicken one better so i tell u that one.
a young girl, roughly 15, was raped n nine months later out popped a baby. anywayz, this 15 yr old was a very messd up young lady. completly bonkers (techincal terms...). anywayz. she lived on a farm n was a very good mother until her baby was 3 months old. when she worked on the farm she'd leave her baby in the chicken coop in fear that the man who raped her would do the same to her baby. anywayz. one day the bloke who raped her came back for her, raped her agn and agn and agn n ended up killing her. no one knew where the baby was m she was the only one living on the farm. so...baby grew up in a CHICKEN coop until she was about 5 when sum ppl came to buy the land n get rid of the chicken coop they found her. not only were they amazed she was alive, they found she wouldn't stand properly, did all the things chickens would do, and would only eat bird sead! think i'm tellin porkies? go google it. learnt that in AS pyschology.
in other words yea, the kid will a ALIVE, but it'll basically b an animal...wild in our modern terms as its been shown no love or affection.
apparently it can also shorten life spans. the more sociable u r the longer u live is a new theory. kinda makes u wana go out right now n party! lol. any excuse

Answer 3

this is infant/ child failure to thrive. the emotionally deprived infant needing affection will not grow because there will be lack of growth hormone production. once this child is given physical and emotion warmth the growth hormone is produced and the child will grow. the growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland(adenohypophysis). also called somatropin. GH stimulates the growth of bones and tissues.

my opinion on this matter is that i don't think whoever is doing this to their child should even have a child. i feel it's child neglect!!!

Answer 4

First of all, the first part of this sounds like abuse, and may mean the parent has mental illness. If you or someone you know has encountered this situation, please GET HELP.

This child will be depressed, have attachment difficulties, and will have social and learning difficulties.

Conversely, there is also some evidence that attachment can be strengthened and the child turned around, in to later childhood. Please help this child get helped.

Answer 5

the baby would most likely be autistic because with no friends or not even being able to socialize with others he wouldnt understand how he should.he would probly hella smart on a count of the fact that all he does is study (all work and no play/socializing). i kno someone like that he's a bully.