Dr John Boulton is a pediatrician who has been working in Aboriginal communities for many many years. An article by Nicholas Rothwell in the Weekend Australian (June 1-2, 2013) reviews some of this work. 

In essence , (and I quote from Nicholas’ article), “if an unborn child is malnourished in the womb “….( but also if the mother is subject to high stress levels, and also if she overdoes alcohol and drugs because she feels so miserable)…..”blood is directed as the first priority  to the brain, leaving the kidneys and other organs insufficiently developed……the child will grow up with a degree of insulin resistance”….(but  also more broadly, with HPA Axis dysfunction…AND Metabolic Syndrome, which are explained in detail in earlier posts on this blog)……”This in turn leads to early-onset diabetes……..(and) the child will have a propensity to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and eventual kidney failure”.

Key signs in young kids are a combination of poor growth plus a tendency to put fat on in the middle of the body. 

But the psychological effects are also dreadful…ADHD, poor impulse control, chronic dysthymia (feeling miserable), learning difficulties  etc…again, I have detailed this in earlier blogs. 

The whole point is, IF WE COULD ONLY GET IN EARLIER, and protect and nurture the mothers, we would spare each generation from the dreadful consequences.

WE NEED TO DEVELOP WAYS OF NURTURING THE NURTURERS.