There are 12 recognised Adverse Childhood Experiences.
physical abuse, emotional neglect, household substance abuse, household mental illness, domestic violence, incarcerated household member, parental separation or divorce, unsafe neighbourhood, bullying, parental death, sibling death, and parental disability.
Prolonged exposure to these factors during childhood eventually leads to hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, chronic lung disease, asthma, liver disease, cancer, digestive disorders, kidney disease, arthritis, psychiatric disorders, and memory-related conditions.
A 2021 study, looked at 20, 544 individuals participated in the 2014 life history survey and 20,284 participated in the 2015 follow-up survey. As per image below, it concluded that exposure to ACEs was associated with higher risks of chronic diseases regardless of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics during childhood or adulthood.
Should you like to read this very interesting scientific paper "Are adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) associated with subsequent chronic diseases" published in Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), please click on the button to read it.
Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up.
Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain.
This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are at triple the risk for heart disease and lung cancer.
The point of this post is to emphasise the importance of consistently demonstrating to our young people, in our care, that we are fulfilling our responsibilities with passion, love, care, dedication, compassion, and understanding.
While we may not fully comprehend their experiences or emotions, given that we haven't walked in their shoes, we can continue to strive to find the means to earn their trust.
This trust allows them to confide in us, enabling us to provide protection and support.
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