News

Children can escape the effects of trauma when given early intervention

Date: 10/15/20

All children have some stress. There's healthy stress, which motivates and helps develop problem-solving skills. But, there's also toxic stress. This stress happens when a child lives in a violent or dysfunctional home.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) co-sponsored a study on toxic stress. The study focused on 17,000 adults who experienced four or more ACEs – Adverse Childhood Experiences¹. ACEs are traumatic experiences that happen before 18 years old.

The findings? As the number of ACEs increased on a person, so did negative health and well-being.

Why is toxic stress so bad?

A child's brain can't handle too much stress. Neither can the immune system, metabolic regulatory systems and cardiovascular system. Some examples^2,3 of toxic stress in a child's life include:

• Physical abuse: pushing, shaking, spanking, striking or burning. Any physical harm that is not an accident.
• Neglect: not offering enough food, shelter, clothing, medical care, education.
• Emotional abuse: rejection, yelling, bullying, withholding love and support, hurting a child's self-esteem, witnessing ongoing community violence.
• Sexual abuse: exposing a child to inappropriate content, behavior or contact.
• Parental issues: mental illness, drinking and drugs, divorce, incarceration, domestic violence and suicide⁴.

What can we do for children with multiple ACEs?

The good news is brains are malleable. We can interrupt the effects of ACEs by helping a child build core skills. These are things like planning, focus and self-control⁵, which can:

• Strengthen a child's resilience as they grow.
• Lessen the chance of ongoing problems: disease, disabilities, repeating abuse and social problems.

An article from Harvard University⁶ says doing these things can also help:

1. Provide a nurturing, safe and stable environment.
2. Teach a child coping skills.
3. Encourage a child to talk about feelings. Find the right mental health support.
4. Talk about healthy habits: eating, sleeping, routines, exercise and mindfulness.
5. Connect a child to caring adults: coaches, after-school programs, community volunteers.

A child can have multiple ACEs. However, there is still hope for a bright future. Learn more from the resources below.

• Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) – Leveraging the Best Available Evidence (PDF)
• Help Youth at Risk for ACEs
• Joining Forces for Children: What are ACEs?
• Adverse Childhood Experiences Resources

References

¹ Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. May 01, 1998.

² ACEs and Toxic Stress: Frequently Asked Questions. Harvard University. Publication date unavailable.

³ CDC-Kaiser ACE study. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Publication date unavailable. Updated April 13, 2020.

⁴ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The Children's Bureau. Publication date not available.

⁵ What are ACEs? Joining Forces for Children. Publication date not available.

⁶ Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Leveraging the Best Available Evidence (PDF). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2019.