Prolonged stress can have life-threatening consequences not only for adults but also for children. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can predispose them to any number of health problems later in life
In 2020, California is allocating $105 million to promote screening for ACEs, which have been shown to trigger toxic stress responses and epigenetic changes linked to a variety of health problems
Biological switches flipped during ACEs increase a child’s risk for nicotine, alcohol and drug abuse, mental illness and suicide, impaired immune function, heart disease, cancer and dementia later in life
ACEs known to impact health include psychological, physical and sexual abuse, domestic abuse, living with household members who are substance abusers, mentally ill or suicidal, early death of a parent, living in a household in which a member has been or is imprisoned, neglect, separation and divorce
Nearly 1 in 6 adults (15.6%) has experienced four or more types of ACEs, raising their risk for at least 5 of the top 10 leading causes of death
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