Research has shown that by the time a child reaches the age of six, if they have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as neglect, their chances of having overall poor physical health increases by two-fold.
[5] Fetal exposure to substances, especially those that can easily cross the placenta such as nicotine and cocaine, can affect the development of the fetus's nervous system and thus, have been linked to long-lasting effects on brain structure and function.
Medical neglect can lead to a number of long-term physical consequences such as permanent loss of hearing from ear infections, vision impairment from strabismus, and chronic respiratory issues from untreated pneumonia.
[8] These conditions can arise when a child does not receive adequate nutrition or necessary medical attention required for proper physical growth and development.
[13] Moreover, as a result of their past maltreatment, neglected children feel that forming intimate relationships with others loses their control in life and exposes them by increasing their vulnerability.
The overall cerebral volume of the brain of a neglected child is significantly diminished, with a reduced midsagittal area of the corpus callosum, and the ventricular system is enlarged thereby resulting in decreased cognitive growth, development, and functioning.
[18][19] Further studies show that neglected children have poor cerebral hemisphere integration and underdevelopment of the orbitofrontal cortex region which affects the child’s social skills.
[24] Preclinical and clinical data show that long-term effects of early-life stress can be blunted by the availability of positive supports and subsequent caregiving experiences.
[25] Age of onset may be another factor dictating the severity of symptoms, with some studies reporting that abuse that takes place during earlier stages of childhood development is associated with negative outcomes later on in life.
The long-term consequence of early trauma experiences and elevated CRF resets the regulation of the LHPA axis so that ACTH and cortisol secretions are set at lower 24-hour levels during baseline and non-stressful conditions.
[28] Research involving humans has similarly demonstrated that negative life events can disrupt the body's regulation of oxytocin.
Decreased levels of oxytocin have been found in women exposed to early maltreatment—a relationship that was shown to be especially strong when the form of maltreatment was emotional abuse.