By the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Princeton, N.J.—New national data show that at least 38 percent of children in every state have had at least one Adverse Childhood Experience or ACE, such as the death or incarceration of a parent, witnessing or being a victim of violence, or living with someone who has been suicidal or had a drug or alcohol problem. In 16 states, at least 25 percent of children have had two or more ACEs. Findings come from data in the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health and an analysis conducted by the Child & Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has collaborated with and supported the work of CAHMI and is working with CAHMI to release today’s data.
ACEs can have serious, long-term impacts on a child’s health and well-being by contributing to high levels of toxic stress that derail healthy physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. Research shows that ACEs increase the long-term risk for smoking, alcoholism, depression, heart and liver diseases, and dozens of other illnesses and unhealthy behaviors. The new data show that 33 percent of children with two or more ACEs have a chronic health condition involving a special health care need, compared to 13.6 percent of children without ACEs.
Share This Post!
Risk and Protective Factors
Source: CDC Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are not often caused by a single factor. Instead, a combination of factors at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels can increase or decrease [...]
We’re therapists. Here’s why it’s too soon for kids to return to Camp Mystic.
Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Source: Houston Chronicle Less than a year after the deadly July 4 flood, Camp Mystic plans to reopen its Cypress Lake location, not far from the still-closed Guadalupe River [...]
Women who experience trauma are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD. Here’s why
Source: American Psychological Association More than half of all women will be exposed to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, according to the National Center for PTSDopens in new window. Those [...]
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children
Source: CDC All children may experience very stressful events that affect how they think and feel. Most of the time, children recover quickly and well. However, sometimes children who experience severe [...]
From Survival to Advocacy: How Chester Street Foundation is Healing Texas
Written by: Shawn Alex Nemeth In 2009, Shawn Alex Nemeth was hospitalized and diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It was the culmination of a lifetime of trauma, encoded into his [...]
How Trauma Affects Kids in School
Source: Child Mind Institute For many kids who suffer from trauma, it’s not one event. Often, it’s ongoing abuse or neglect. This could be violence at home or in their neighborhood. [...]