Pampering children leave a trace in their DNA

    Pampering children leave a trace in their DNA

    Early physical contact with babies has potential repercussions on the rest of life.

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    Pampering, pampering and endless pampering. If you want to raise healthy and safe children in the world, dispense an infinite series of hugs and caresses. The cuddles will leave a clear trace in the genes of the little ones, influencing their development.





    To say this is a research by the University of British Columbia and the British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, published in Development and Psychopathology, according to which a early and constant physical contact it can modify the regulation of genes.

    On the other hand, those who receive less cuddles from babies, in the range between 0 and 4 years, would have a less developed molecular heritage, a kind of "biological delay" compared to their age, which can also upset the immune system and metabolism.

    A systematic review

    The researchers asked a group of 94 families with 5-week-old babies to write down the newborn's behaviors (such as crying and sleep, any agitation and stress, meals or distress) and their behaviors, primarily the time spent in a diary. to physical contact.

    At the age of 4 and a half years, the children's genes were analyzed and the level of methylation of their DNA was assessed, a phenomenon that modifies the expression and not the structure of genes (DNA methylation consists of an epigenetic change, i.e. in a series of changes that influence the phenotype, therefore the development and behavior, and not the genotype, i.e. the genes themselves): what is known is that the kind of methylation and above all the position of the methyls on the double helix can receiving external influences throughout life.

    From this, large differences emerged between the little ones who had had consistent physical contact with the adults and those who had been less fortunate: between the most pampered and the least pampered children, the methylation differences were at the level of 5 specific regions of the DNA. , two of which belong one to the gene involved in the functioning of the immune system, the other to the metabolic mechanisms.



    "We believe that in children, slower epigenetic maturation could indicate developmental problems," said Michael Kobor, UBC professor of medical genetics.

    As a next step, the researchers will try to "understand if the biological immaturity we observed in these children has an impact on their health, in particular on their psychological development," explains Sarah Moore. "If further studies confirm this initial result it will be evident how important physical contact is, especially for the most stressed children."

    Read also:


    AAA wanted donors of cuddles for children awaiting adoption


    Dharma children: volunteers who give cuddles and affection to abandoned babies

    Children: kiss on the mouth, yes or no?

    Meanwhile? Pampering a go go for the little ones!

    Germana Carillo

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