Adverse Childhood Experiences
Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACEs)
The Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) study by Dr. Robert Anda and Dr. Vince Felitti links childhood trauma with many adult diseases (diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.) and health issues including social and emotional problems. It measures 10 types of childhood trauma and determines those who may be at higher risk of poor mental and physical health outcomes as an adult. The ACE questionnaire contains five personal questions and five questions related to other family members including the topics of physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect and family issues such as alcoholism, domestic violence, incarceration, mental illness or disappearance of a parent through divorce, death or abandonment. Those with an ACE score of 4 or more have a serious likelihood of developing a serious disease as an adult. The good news is that those who learn to be resilient lessen their risk of developing negative outcomes!
Learn more by reading Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Lifelong Consequences of Trauma by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Adverse Childhood Experiences FACTS:
67% of the population have at least 1 ACE
1/8 of the population have more than 4 ACEs
ACEs fall under 3 basic categories: Abuse, Neglect & Household Challenges
ACES can be prevented by using an ACE-Informed Approach:
The presence of a caring adult (Always Available Adult)
Trauma-Informed Care training for professions working with kids
Use of the Protective Factors including:
safe, nurturing relationships
parental resilience
strong social and emotional skills
concrete support for families
Caregiver knowledge & application of positive parenting skills
ACE aware, supportive communities and social system
All Children need to develop: