
The brain is what makes us human, and the experiences of childhood sculpt the brain. Deprivation, terror, sexual exploitation, and emotional abuse affect the biology of the developing brain in a permanent, negative way. This book describes simple but powerful principles of neurodevelopment and neurobiology and examines clinical issues of child maltreatment within this context, providing a new conceptual approach to the assessment, treatment, and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Bruce Perry, M.D., is at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.