Adverse Childhood Experiences – Part One
He leads me …
There is a section of New Zealand society where children do not have a warm dry place to live, or feel safe at home with a stable and loving family. Added to this, their caregivers do not have enough money to pay for basic provisions like food and clothes. The inability to address these concerns is causing problems with the children’s health and their academic future. Their future will affect the country in many ways.
The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention is part of the US Department Of Health And Human Services. One of their programmes, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE Study) uncovered a link between childhood trauma and the chronic diseases people develop as adults, as well as ongoing social and emotional problems. These include heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes and many autoimmune diseases, as well as depression, violence, being a victim of violence, and suicide.
The study’s researchers came up with an ACE score of 1 to 10 to explain a person’s risk for chronic disease. The 10 were chosen because those were the most common ones mentioned by the participants.
One point is given for each type of trauma. The higher the ACE score, the higher the risk of health and social problems. (Other types of trauma exist that could contribute to an ACE score, so it is possible to have ACE scores higher than 10.)
As the ACE score increases, so does the risk of disease, social and emotional problems. With an ACE score of 4 or more, things start getting serious. The likelihood of chronic pulmonary lung disease increases 390 percent; hepatitis, 240 percent; depression 460 percent; attempted suicide, 1,220 percent.
At the same time that the ACE Study was being done, parallel research by a group of neuroscientists and pediatricians on kids’ brains found that toxic stress damages the structure and function of a child’s developing brain.
When children are overloaded with stress hormones, they are in flight, fright or freeze mode.[1] They cannot learn in school. They often have difficulty trusting adults or developing healthy relationships with peers, so they become loners. To relieve their anxiety, depression, guilt, shame, and/or inability to focus, they turn to easily available biochemical solutions — nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, methamphetamine — or activities in which they can escape their problems — high-risk sports, proliferation of sex partners, and work/over-achievement.
Fortunately, research shows that with the right recovery factors — such as asking for help, developing trusting relationships, forming a positive attitude, and listening to feelings — people can improve their lives.
What ACEs do you have?
Please understand that the ACE score is meant as a guideline. If other types of toxic stress over months or years are experienced, then the risk of health concerns will increase, depending any positive childhood experiences you had to offset the stress. In the meantime see what results you get from these questions.
Prior to your 18th birthday:
1. Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you? or Act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
2. Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Push, grab, slap, or throw something at you? or Ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
3. Did an adult or person more than 5 years older than you ever… Touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way? or Attempt or actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
4. Did you often or very often feel that … No one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special? or Your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to each other, or support each other?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
5. Did you often or very often feel that … You didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you? or Your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
6. Were your parents ever separated or divorced?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
7. Was your mother or stepmother: Often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her? or Sometimes, often, or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, or hit with something hard? or Ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
8. Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
9. Was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
10. Did a household member go to prison?
No___If Yes, enter 1 __
Now add up your “Yes” answers: _ This is your ACE Score[2]
Research into ACEs among children and families in New Zealand is being undertaken as well. This research is funded by the Ministry of Social Development’s Children and Families Research Fund using data from around 5,500 participants.
The two main findings were –
· More than half the children studied experienced at least one ACE by 41/2 years of age.
· Emotional abuse and physical abuse were the most common ACEs experienced.[3]
As Christians, we turn to the Bible as our guide for living. It not only has a lot to say to us about spiritual matters, but also about practical issues too. So what does the Bible say about children? Here are two verses that help -
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor … (Zechariah 7:10 NIV)
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. (James 1:27 NLT)
In the first verse we see that the Lord does not like the oppression of those less fortunate than ourselves. The second verse says that if we are serious about being a Christian, then we do something about it. We can do this, either by offering our personal service, or by contributing financially or in some other way.
In Part Two we will look at what practically can be done to assist disadvantaged children.
Dear Reader – If you have found some value in this blog, please feel free to send a copy on to your family and friends. Kind regards, John
[1] The fight, flight, or freeze response refers to involuntary physiological changes that happen in the body and mind when a person feels threatened. This response exists to keep people safe, preparing them to face, escape, or hide from danger.
[2] What ACEs do you have? ACESTooHigh; https://acestoohigh.com/got-your-ace-score/
[3] Research into adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among children and families in New Zealand, Ministry of Social Development NZ; https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/adverse-childhood-experiences/index.html
