Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is a pediatrician who explains how repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain and the body. She calls for, of course, prevention, routine screenings, and using this knowledge to guide medical screenings and interventions.
This information is based on a massive study done by the CDC (Center for Disease Control), that took a look at the potential long-term impact of childhood trauma. You can take a deeper dive into this information on the CDC website.
If you are interested in looking into what your ACES score is, you can see the questionnaire here. ** Important Note: If you have a history of trauma in your life you may feel uncomfortable or get upset when taking this questionnaire. I recommend that you consult with a mental health professional to guide you through this process.
If you found this interesting or helpful, you may also want to check out another post on my site, Oprah Learns about the Life-Long Impact of Developmental Trauma.