Children across the U.S. don't have a parent at home who can ask them one simple question: "How was school today?" Some kids we interact with daily don't have fresh cooked meals at home or clean clothes to wear the next day. Whether we know it or not, many children, and even some adults, are negatively affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACEs are traumatic experiences brought about by several factors, some far beyond a child's control. If we can work to build a community where people belong — a culture of safety, connectedness, and support — we can prevent and heal the impact of the negative.
What are ACEs?
ACEs are potentially traumatic events that people experience in childhood, including violence, abuse, neglect, growing up in a household with substance abuse issues, mental health problems, parent incarceration, and countless other events. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that nearly 61% of adults surveyed in 25 states reported they had at least one type of ACE before their 18th birthday. Nearly 1 in 6 have reported more than four ACEs.
Individuals who have experienced ACEs are more likely to have poor health outcomes later in life. They often exhibit destructive behaviors as adults, such as alcohol abuse, drug abuse, sexual abuse, and suicide. When we do not intentionally create positive childhood experiences for our kids, they often exhibit destructive behaviors and develop poor health outcomes later in life. Children's negative behaviors often impact their lives in other ways, including their home life, school performance, and relationships with friends or neighbors.
Uncontrollable factors, like growing up in a violent household, not having three meals a day, or having a parent who is incarcerated, coupled with neglect or abuse, compound a child's risk for health issues later in life.Linking ACEs, Chronic Diseases, and SDOH
Higher exposure to ACEs is also related to a greater likelihood of developing chronic health conditions, such as cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory diseases. In fact, according to the CDC, "by preventing ACEs, up to 1.9 million heart disease cases and 21 million depression cases could have been potentially avoided." The strong correlation between ACEs and health complications has been widely studied for the last three decades and continues to be a hot-button issue among health care providers.
Children need a strong support system and nurturing environment to thrive. Protective factors, such as having a nurturing bond with a caring adult or having parents with a social support network, can counteract ACEs and SDOH.While ACEs can be caused by childhood trauma from abuse or neglect, they can intersect with social determinants of health (SDOH). According to the CDC, SDOH are the "conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes." It can be very stressful for a child to grow up in household where they may not eat three meals a day. Some children may grow up in racially segregated neighborhoods or rural cities with poor health care access. These uncontrollable factors, coupled with neglect or abuse, compound a child's risk for mental health issues later in life, such as depression, involvement in antisocial behavior, and violence.
It can be very stressful for a child to grow up in a household where they may not eat three meals a day. Some children may grow up in racially segregated neighborhoods or rural cities with poor health care access.
These intriguing correlations reveal the critical need for individuals to provide support systems and nurturing environments for children. According to Dr. Carmela Sosa, Medical Director of the Guilds Center for Community Health, "protective factors such as having a nurturing bond with a caring adult or having parents with a social support network" can counteract the negative effects of ACEs and SDOH. Providers are the most well-positioned to impact a child's well-being trajectory by intervening via screening, referral, advocacy, and referral. Providers who recognize the intersection of ACEs and SDOH and connect children and families to positive support systems create better health outcomes for children.
Cultivating a Community of Support
Authority figures, educators, administrators, parents, and countless other adults can all join together to help individuals who have experienced trauma receive the help they need and heal from the negative impacts of factors beyond their control. The first step in helping others is to learn methods and best practices to reduce toxic stress and build resilience. AFMC's ACEs Coaltiion meets at least once per month to discuss methodology, share stories, and learn more about the impact ACEs have on our community. We encourage you to join the coalition and help make our community a great place for children to grow up.
The first step in helping others is to learn methods and best practices to reduce toxic stress and build reslience.
AFMC is hosting our seventh annual ACEs & Resilience Summit on Thursday, August 3, at Pulaski Technical College, bringing together community leaders, educators, health care professionals, and anyone with a vested interest in improving the lives of our children. The theme of this year's summit is the power of belonging, Positive Childhood Experiences. Businesses can sponsor part of the summit and register to attend online or in person. Attendees will hear from our guest speaker, Dr. Chrstina Bethell, MPH, MBA. Dr. Bethell is the Director of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative for the Bloomberg School of Health at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Bethell will share her experiences and research on family engagement tools. We hope to see you there as we work to create positive childhood experiences within our communities.
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