The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, one of the largest investigations ever conducted to assess the effects of trauma on children, found that almost two-thirds of children are at risk for at least one adverse childhood experience, which could cause a multitude of mental and physical health issues across their lifetime.
Recent data released from the 20-year Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, conducted by Kaiser Permanente’s Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego and the CDC, have shed new light on the long-term impact of childhood trauma and how it can affect physical and psychological health well into adulthood.
The researchers have studied more than 17,000 children since 1995 and determined that increased exposure to traumas such as child abuse, substance abuse, incarceration of a parent, neglect, divorce and suicide can lead to an early death. Recent data indicate that more than 20% of children will experience three or more adverse experiences during their childhood.
“It is important to be aware of adverse experiences that students have gone through and address those early on so students are less likely to experience long-term challenges,” Kimani Norrington-Sands, PhD,organization facilitator for the school mental health unit, at the Los Angeles Unified School District, said during an interview with Infectious Diseases in Children.
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