Severe Social Isolation

Severe Social Isolation Effects of Development

            Based on the evidence provided by the video “Secret of the Wild Child” there is a strong relationship between severe social isolation (SSI) and under-development of social traits in a child. Based on the video a child who grows up in isolation will not develop the ability to socialize. In extreme cases the child will never develop the ability to communicate through speech. Scientists believe that a child’s brain stops developing by the age of 10-12 years of age. Prohibited social activity will inhibit the development of a child’s brain consequently if a child is isolated their brain may not develop fully. Most of the apparent signs of severe isolation are very similar to the signs of Down syndrome and can be easily misdiagnosed. The most predominant sign of SSI is a lack of ability to communicate using language and a lack of emotion. Most SSI children cannot tell the difference between hot and cold, they can’t walk smoothly, and they have little retention and memory loss. All of these symptoms are signs of underdevelopment of the brain and according to research on brain development the brain stops (or slows extremely) developing in adolescent age. If a child passes through adolescence in SSI then they will never fully develop therefore the effects of SSI are permanent.

 

Links for research

http://www.feralchildren.com/en/showchild.php?ch=genie

http://www.ecsd.com/~rhhedgz1/brain.html

http://www3.georgetown.edu/research/nrcbl/hsbioethics/units/unit3_4.html