Hi Friend!
Happy April <3
I have returned to student mode (love it here) & have studied a range of topics in early childhood development. Some topics haven’t been easy to navigate, trauma is one of them.
Trauma is often a difficult topic to explore, but it’s truly important to recognize how our formative years can shape our (short & long-term) mental & physical health. It’s a key part in supporting children & equally important when working with adults.
Trauma is common, but so is recovery from it.
-Dr. Najavits
The video I’m sharing dives into adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs are potentially traumatic events that occur during childhood, before the age of 18 years old. ACEs may include experiences of neglect, financial stressors, abuse & challenges within the family (CDC). ACEs have been linked to an increased risk for the development of chronic medical & mental health disorders (CDC).
ACEs are the single greatest unaddressed public health threat facing our nation today.
-Dr. Robert Block
64% of adults in the United States reported experiencing at least one type of ACE before age 18. 17.3% of adults reported they experienced four or more types of ACEs (CDC). In the US, about 50% of children’s ACEs occur by the time they are 3 years old (Burke Foundation). The SHADAC study (State Health Access Data Assistance Center) on ACEs and Health Equity noted that Black, Native American & Alaskan Native children experienced the highest rates (>60%) of ACEs (SHADAC).
ACEs & Social determinants of health (SDOH) are closely connected & both have the potential to influence health outcomes. Social determinants of health represent aspects like where we live, the income we make, the access or lack of access we have to quality education, healthcare, food & experience(s) with racism & discrimination, to name a few. Adverse childhood experiences may stem from social determinants of health.
Research shows that the social determinants can be more important than health care or our genes in influencing health. For example, numerous studies suggest that SDH account for more than half of health and wellbeing.
-World Health Organization (WHO)
Healthcare providers who center ACEs & SDOH in patient care move beyond treating physical symptoms, they’re honoring the whole person. Holistic care is a whole-person model of care that moves beyond a narrow medical lens, acknowledging that the deeper roots of health & healing extend far beyond our physical body. Our past experiences set the foundation of our physical & mental health.
Pediatrician, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, provides a deep exploration of the implications associated with ACEs, click here to learn more.