May 13 - 17

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE): are highly stressful, and potentially traumatic, events or situations that occur during childhood and/or adolescence

I have been reading a lot of articles & been to a few professional development sessions on ACE. It has opened my eyes to not only how prevalent they are but the many implications they have on a child’s brain development, learning, overall health & social interaction.

ACE include:

-      Emotional abuse

-      Physical abuse

-      Sexual abuse

-      Neglect

-      Household substance abuse

-      Household mental illness

-      Separation / divorce

-      Death of a parent

-      Witnessing abuse / violence

-      Racism

-      Sexism

-      Homelessness

-      Natural disasters 

-      Incarcerated parent

ACE increase risk of:

-      Adolescent pregnancy

-      Alcohol abuse

-      Drug abuse

-      Depression

-      Heart & liver disease

-      Smoking

-      Suicide attempts

-      Earlier sexual experiences

-      STD’s

-      Teenage pregnancy

-      Partner violence

-      Incarceration

  

How ACE effect health:

-      Reduces the ability to learn 

-      Lowers tolerance to stress

-      Difficulty making & maintain friendships
       Struggle with understanding, reading & regulating feelings
       Increased rate of depression / anxiety
       Higher risk of self harm

-      Difficulty with memory

-      Physical health issues – heart rate, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity