Cyndi Kay Green

Many adults have experienced childhood trauma that can affect them mentally or emotionally for the rest of their lives. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) account for a big part of the mental health issues that adults face today. These ACEs typically occur when the child’s brain is developing at a high rate which causes them to be harmful and affects how the child learns. This can also affect the way a child responds to stress as they grow into adulthood. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10, ESV What are the most common adverse childhood experiences? Most adverse childhood experiences are traumatic and often experienced before the child reaches the age of eighteen. These events can have lasting negative effects on every aspect of the child’s health. The most common adverse childhood experiences are: Divorce/separation of parents Verbal humiliation Loss of a loved one to suicide Physical/emotional abuse Incarcerated parent Death of a parent Household of alcohol/substance abuse Abandonment or neglect Mentally ill parent Risk factors Most ACEs are not a product of happenstance. They are typically not random events. Economic status, community, culture, and family history play a big part in the likelihood of a child experiencing adverse events. Some of these risk factors include the income and education level of the family. The ability of the family members to understand and react to stress related to the home can have an adverse reaction to traumatic events. When these events affect the mind of the child it can cause the child to become predisposed to other health issues as an adult, such as cancer, depression, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. When there are no community resources available to help the child [...]