I recently attended a virtual meeting entitled “Resilience Rising Series: Harnessing Hope to Uplift Communities – Building Resilience in Youth: Practical Strategies for Lasting Impact.” This session highlighted the critical role we all play in fostering resilience among youth, especially those who face significant challenges due to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). It’s crucial to remember that those students who test us the most with their misbehavior are often the ones who need us the most.

About Adverse Childhood Experiences

KEY POINTS

  • Adverse childhood experiences can have long-term negative impacts on health, opportunity and well-being.
  • Adverse childhood experiences are common, and some groups experience them more than others.

What are adverse childhood experiences?

Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years). Examples include:

  • Experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect.
  • Witnessing violence in the home or community.
  • Having a family member attempt or die by suicide.

Also included are aspects of the child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding. Examples can include growing up in a household with:

  • Substance use problems.
  • Mental health problems.
  • Instability due to parental separation.
  • Instability due to household members being in jail or prison.

The examples above are not a complete list of adverse experiences. Many other traumatic experiences could impact health and well-being. This can include not having enough food to eat, experiencing homelessness, or unstable housing.

Quick facts and stats

ACEs are common. Three in four high school students reported experiencing one or more ACEs, and one in five experienced four or more ACEs. ACEs that were most common among high school students were emotional abuse, physical abuse, and living in a household affected by poor mental health or substance use.

Preventing ACEs could reduce many health conditions. For example, preventing ACEs could reduce suicide attempts among high school students by as much as 89%, prescription pain medication misuse by as much as 84%, and persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness by as much as 66%. Additionally, preventing ACEs could also reduce many health conditions in adulthood, including chronic diseases and behavioral health conditions. Estimates show that preventing ACEs could reduce cases of heart disease by 22% and depression by 78% for adults.

Some people are at greater risk of experiencing one or more ACEs than others. While all children are at risk of ACEs, numerous studies show differences in such experiences. These differences are linked to the social and economic environments in which some families live. ACEs are highest among females, American Indian or Alaska Native and multicultural youth, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, or questioning youth.

ACEs are costly. ACEs-related health consequences cost an estimated $14.1 trillion dollars annually in the United States in direct medical spending and lost healthy-life years.7

Outcomes

ACEs can have lasting effects on health and well-being in childhood and life opportunities (such as education and job potential) well into adulthood.8 These experiences can increase the risks of injury, sexually transmitted infections, and involvement in sex trafficking. They can also increase risks for maternal and child health problems including teen pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and fetal death. Also included are a range of chronic diseases and leading causes of death, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and suicide.

ACEs and community factors such as living in under-resourced neighborhoods can cause toxic stress. Toxic stress (extended or prolonged stress) from ACEs can negatively affect children’s brain development, immune system, and stress-response systems. These changes can affect children’s attention, decision-making, and learning.

Children growing up with toxic stress may have difficulty forming healthy and stable relationships. They may also have unstable work histories as adults and struggle with finances, job stability, and depression throughout life. These effects can also be passed on to their own children. Some children may face further exposure to toxic stress from ongoing traumas. These ongoing traumas include the impacts of poverty resulting from limited educational and economic opportunities.

Prevention

Adverse childhood experiences can be prevented. Certain factors may increase or decrease the risk of experiencing adverse childhood experiences.

Preventing adverse childhood experiences requires understanding and addressing the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence.

Creating safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children prevents ACEs and helps all children reach their full potential. These relationships and environments are essential to creating positive childhood experiences. Everyone has a role to play in promoting positive childhood experiences and preventing the harmful effects of ACEs.

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As we reflect on the insights shared in the meeting and the information from the CDC about ACEs, it’s clear that creating safe, nurturing environments is essential for all children. By understanding the impact of adverse experiences and actively working to prevent them, we can uplift our communities and empower our youth to thrive. Together, we can be the supportive figures that make a lasting difference in their lives.