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Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) <br />Exposure to childhood ACEs <br />can increase the risk of: <br />Ÿ Adolescent pregnancy <br />Ÿ Alcoholism and alcohol abuse <br />Ÿ Chronic obstructive pulmonary <br />disease (COPD) <br />Ÿ Depression <br />Ÿ Early initiation of sexual activity <br />Ÿ Early initiation of smoking <br />Ÿ Fetal death <br />Ÿ Health-related quality of life <br />Ÿ Illicit drug use <br />Ÿ Ischemic heart disease (IHD) <br />Ÿ Liver disease <br />Ÿ Multiple sexual partners <br />Ÿ Risk for intimate partner <br />violence <br />Ÿ Sexually transmitted diseases <br />(STDs) <br />Ÿ Smoking <br />Ÿ Suicide attempts <br />Ÿ Unintended pregnancies <br />What are ACEs? <br />ACEs are significant childhood traumas as identified below which can result in actual changes in brain development. These <br />changes may affect a child’s learning ability, social skills, and can result in long-tem health problems. The Centers for Disease <br />Control and Prevention (CDC) views ACEs as one of the major health issues in the 21st century. <br />Adverse Childhood <br />Experiences can include: <br />1.Emotional abuse <br />2.Physical abuse <br />3.Sexual abuse <br />4.Emotional neglect <br />5.Physical neglect <br />6.Mother treated violently <br />7.Household substance abuse <br />8.Household mental illness <br />9.Parental separation or divorce <br />10.Incarcerated household member <br />How do ACEs affect health? <br />Through stress. Frequent or prolonged exposure to ACEs can create toxic stress which <br />can damage the developing brain of a child and affect overall health. <br />STRESS & EARLY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT <br />Reduces ability to respond, learn, or <br />process effectively which can <br />result in problems in school <br />Lower tolerance for stress can result in <br />behaviors such as aggression, <br />checking out, and defiance <br />May have difficulty <br />making friends and <br />maintaining <br />relationships <br />Problems with <br />learning and <br />memory can be <br />permanent <br />May cause <br />lasting health <br />problems <br />Increases stress hormones <br />which affects the body's <br />ability to fight infection <br />A Survival Mode Response is one that increases heart rate, blood pressure, <br />breathing and muscle tension. When a child is in survival mode, self-protection <br />is their priority. In other words: <br /> “I can’t hear you, I can’t respond to you, I am just trying to be safe.”