this natural stress-response provocation challenge gave us an opportunity to test the second, equally important ingredient for toxic stress—the caregiver’s ability to act as a buffer. The kids who had the worst responses were also the ones whose caregivers were the least likely to hug, kiss, sing to, or otherwise soothe their child. We heard a lot of “Hold him down!” and “I don’t have time for this, I have to be back at work in a half hour.”
