Infants tasting what will be the lasting loneliness of spacel
The word 'lasting' is used because however seemingly unimportant at the time the experiences of infancy place an indelible mark on the function of the infant's brain - nothing that can be seen but changes or perhaps lack of changes that warm and uninterrupted confidence engendering attention makes for better cohesion and bonding later in life.
To help one comprehend the 'fearful nature of being isolated' I would ask the reader to imagine being suddenly plucked up and put in a strange place, one never seen before, and no one to ask, to talk to, to see and get you to believe you are in a safe place. How much more terrifying would it be for an infant, not so long maybe having come from its mother's belly and needing every bit of reassurance that all is well?
The seemingly protective thing thousands of mother’s are seen doing every overcast or rainy day is encapsulating their infants in buggies and prams in a ‘clearish plastic capsule’. The infant in terms of communication might as well be in space.
Nobody would dream of seeing such infants get drenched but the instant covering of them when it threatens to rain in what is a thickish but clear plastic sheet often a fixture or additional item that comes with the pram is akin to sending them for a duration into space.
Often such infants are in forward facing buggies and thus when this ‘cover up’ occurs they are even more isolated than ever from being able to connect to their parent or carer.
What must be quite alarming for the infant is the fact that such definition they can make out is blurred or distorted and the cover up is almost certainly so complete that their crying or wailing is unheard.
As rain is tied up in this issue it is almost certainly overcast or actually dark and possibly night.
I find it hard to imagine what confusion, worry, sense of separation is going on in those infant brains but what ever it is common sense dictates it isn’t healthy and is probably in some small way permanently psychologically damaging and one thing for sure a thing that the infant will never thank you for.
There is no question of allowing the infant to get wet but a cover over it where the mum can be seen and touch and reassure her charge makes serious common sense.
I would venture too that the cover that I have described is left on, it is left on more often than not for longer than is necessary.
If it happens that the lightest touch of a drop or so of warm rain is felt the infant will then appreciate a gentle dabbing and an appropriate protection from it - all part of the assurance that opens up connection in their brains.
Letting the infant get wet is crass stupidity but no parent will allow this to happen - it is the appropriate response to rain that will continue the bonding, sense of security and psychological welfare of the child.
In years to come it is almost certain that MRI imaging of infants brains or even sophisticated psychological testing will show changes that support what I have said - but for time being I know I would take the default scenario of keeping in reassuring touch with the infant, rail, hail or sunshine - they have space trips later in life.
