An infant in context: Multiple risks,and a relationship

This article sets out to bring together some of the current thinking on the effect of adverse early experiences on individual development. Although the caregiving relationship is intensely personal, it also reflects a synthesis of surrounding biological and social influences. An exceptional combination of individual characteristics and environmental circumstances may alter the balance between future vulnerability and resilience. These affect the baby via the relationship with the parent. The particular risk factors considered are set within the narrative framework of a single home visit, both to embody them and to emphasize their systemic interrelatedness within a family boundary. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.