By Joseph Brownstein
While it may not come as a surprise that survivors of childhood traumas have more difficult lives, a new study says that those children can also expect their lives to be on average, almost 20 years shorter.
A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that children who experience six or more traumatic events in their childhood — events that can include emotional, physical or sexual abuse or household dysfunction — have an average lifespan 19 years shorter than those of their counterparts who do not suffer that degree of childhood trauma.
“The stressors tend to accumulate in people’s lives, and it appears that affects the way they develop and can affect the way they think and their emotional control,” said Dr. Robert Anda, who has served as the co-primary investigator on the CDC’s Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study.
Share This Post!
Helping immigrant children heal
Twenty years ago, Hami Torres fled Mexico at age 13, her 11-year-old brother in tow. Terrified, they trekked for hours with a group of older strangers through desert scrub that slashed Hami's [...]
What is test anxiety and how can we support students when they experience it?
As the first day of school approaches, parents and children gather their backpacks as educators finalize lesson plans and ready their classrooms. The new school year offers a fresh start for students [...]
Managing stress during the COVID-19 pandemic
While we are all focusing on taking care of our physical health as the outbreak of COVID-19 develops, it’s also important to keep our mental health a priority. When there is a [...]
Integrating parents with trauma histories into child trauma treatment: Establishing core components.
To identify core components of parent/caregiver integration into evidence based child trauma treatment models, specifically those parents/caregivers who have experienced trauma themselves. The Parent/Caregiver Trauma and Healing Coordinating Group (PCTHCG) of the [...]
‘All Kinds Of Trauma’: Students Are Returning To School, But Are We Ready To Help Them Cope?
Rosalinda Guzman was inside a bathroom stall at school when something begged for attention. It was on the door, where the school posts announcements. “That little tiny piece of paper was just [...]
Identifying the Intersection of Trauma and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: Part I: Key Considerations
WHY ASK ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY? There is a growing body of evidence showing that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) youth suffer from potentially traumatic events (PTEs) at [...]