Medical experts have said maternal stress may contribute to the risk of autism in children, warning that both prenatal and postnatal stress can affect a child’s neurological development.
Speaking at the Ultimate Caregiver Enlightenment Symposium and Book Launch, themed “United in Care: Guiding Hearts, Growing Minds,” Dr. Adaobi Okeke, a neurology specialist at the National Hospital, Abuja, explained that stress hormones released during pregnancy can cross the placenta and influence the developing fetus.
According to her, “The child is not the one that is stressed, but the hormones from the mother get into the child. This can alter the expression of certain genes, and in the presence of other risk factors, predispose the child to autism.”
She added that maternal stress after birth may also pose risks, as certain stress-related chemicals can still be expressed through breast milk.
Also speaking at the event, CEO of My Child’s Psyche Initiative (MCPI), Chyna Clifford, said the foundation is focused on improving children’s mental wellness amid rising social challenges, including moral decline, insecurity, out-of-school children, and increasing cases of autism.
Clifford noted that many autistic children develop other psychological disorders such as anxiety, which often persist into adulthood and affect productivity. “This foundation is committed to creating awareness about childhood disorders that have long-term consequences,” she said.
“We are the primary observance of a child’s social emotional development during their formative years. And so, within our schools, we must be creating emotionalistic environments.
“We have to build high-trust relationships between staff and students. And we have to ensure every child has at least one trusted adult they can turn to.
She explained that the initiative began with a simple realization that every child carries a world within them filled with fears, worries, concern, wonder, dreams, anxieties and immense potential.
According to her, yet far too often this inner world goes unheard. their voices gets drowned out by the noise of society, emotions overlooked and questions go answered.
She said their mission is to promote the holistic development of the child’s psyche integrating cognitive, emotional, moral, and social growth.
“We believe that by aligning supportive environmental factors with reflective learning practices, we can foster psychological resilience, pro-social behavior, and emotional well-being across every stage of development.
“We envision a Nigeria where every child’s inner world is understood, respected, and supported not only within the walls of the classroom, but also in homes and in the very fabric of our communities.
“A nation where emotional intelligence is as valued as academic excellence; where kindness, empathy, and self-awareness are cultivated as intentionally as literacy and numeracy.
Speaking on post partum depression in Nigerian, An Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Mariam Tukur-Shagaya harped on the need for positive support to curb depression in women after child birth.
She said spouses must be available to provide support during child birth so as to ensure the well being of both the mother and the child.
