One of my four pregnant daughters sent me this from Baby Center. She sent me the article, not the link itself, and I find the information to be very distressing. No wonder behavior modification has no effect, no wonder love and logic seeps right past their radar.

MONDAY, March 5 (HealthDay News) — Children who experience traumatic stress can suffer brain damage that results in a decrease in the size of the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory and emotion, research suggests.

The researchers found that children with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and high levels of the stress hormone cortisol were likely to have this type of damage, which could make them prone to depression and anxiety later in life.

"In this study, we analyzed children who had a history of interpersonal trauma, physical abuse, sexual abuse, or witnessing violence and developed PTSD," said lead researcher Dr. Victor G. Carrion, the director of the Stanford Early Life Stress Research Program at Stanford University.

Discussing this yesterday with a therapist from Advantage Behavioral Counseling, I told Miss Elizabeth that I can see past the behaviors and discern what is causing it, but the bottom line is my frustration at my inability to fix it. I’m a fixer by nature, I want to make things right.

I discussed the same thing with the therapist at an RTC, with a psychologist who comes to our house, and with my wonderful, highly educated, experienced caseworker. There seem to be no answers. The best we can do is manage the issues, slowly try and replace negative behaviors with positive ones, and just keep plugging away while still searching.

I’m willing to do that. Usually I can see past the behaviors and not resent the child that is hateful and destructive. I’m way more patient now, in my 50s, and I’ve seen enough successes in my family to spur me on to continue doing what I’m doing.

I don’t want to give anyone the false impression that this is easy. It is not easy at all. But this is the world I inherited when I entered into this fray; this world of older adopted children.

Symptoms of PTSD include "re-experience," involving flashbacks, intrusive thoughts or nightmares, avoidance and emotional numbing, and physical symptoms such as an elevated heart rate. These symptoms make PTSD difficult to differentiate from other conditions, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to the report.

In their study, Carrion's team measured the volume of the hippocampus in 15 children ages 7 to 13, all of who suffered from PTSD. Measurements were taken 12 to 18 months after the start of the study. If the kids can’t help it, then why should I allow their behaviors to make me angry? These are facts that I live with; this is what my children have.

Reporting in the March issue of Pediatrics, the researchers found that children with the most severe PTSD symptoms had higher levels of cortisol at the start of the study. "Cortisol is important because animal studies have shown that it can be toxic to the brain and kill brain cells," Carrion said.

"Over the last 20 years, there has been increasing recognition that early trauma can have significant consequences," Elliott said. The mental health care field has moved from believing that unless you are physically damaged there are no lasting psychological consequences, to appreciating that major overwhelming stress from a variety of causes can produce sustained changes later on, he said.

This is heavy duty, yet enlightening. Blogging, like gardening, is cathartic for me, but especially here as so many readers are struggling with these same issues I face each day. It’s nice to know I’m not alone, I appreciate your comments and emails, reminding me, we can do this.