Awareness Around ACEs
By CFI Predoctoral Fellow Samantha Ippolito, M.S.Ed.
What are ACEs?
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- ACEs stand for Adverse Childhood Experiences.
- Potentially traumatic events that occur within the first 17 years of life
What are the different types of ACEs?
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- Violence, abuse (emotional, physical, sexual), and neglect
- Witnessing violence in the home or community
- Having a family member attempt or die by suicide
- A household with someone who has substance use or mental health problems
- Instability in the household, such as through parental separation or household members being in jail or prison
- Not having enough to eat
- Homelessness or unstable housing
- Experiencing discrimination
What impact do ACEs have on children?
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- A higher number of ACEs might mean a higher risk of health problems or outcomes.
- ACEs are linked to chronic health problems such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease; mental illness; and substance use problems that can begin as early as adolescence.
- It can have lasting adverse effects on education or job potential
- Children with a history of ACEs might have trouble forming healthy and stable relationships
What to do if your child has experienced ACEs?
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- Talk about emotions.
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- Similar to if your child was misbehaving, increasing dialogue about their feelings can help understand what is going on for them.
- If your child resists talking about their feelings, we can often bridge this gap by discussing what characters in TV shows or books think and feel.
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- Identify behavioral patterns and warning signs for when they act out.
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- Be mindful of situations and things that may be said around when behavior changes in children.
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- Help them learn self-regulation strategies.
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- Consider relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, stretching, yoga, and relaxing their muscles.
- Help them practice identifying their feelings (this can be a game such as feelings charades).
- Help them practice skills when they feel sad or angry –such as deep breathing, talking to someone they trust, and taking a break for active play or exercise.
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- Try to maintain regular daily routines to promote safety and normalcy.
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- Children benefit from knowing what to expect from their environment.
- Routines for meals, bedtime, homework, and chores.
- Visual schedules and prompts may help.
- Try to build in time for relaxing activities such as light exercise.
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- Provide a consistent, safe, and secure environment.
- Talk about emotions.
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- Promote trust in your relationship with your children.
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- In addition to mental health suggestions, promoting a healthy diet, regular exercise, getting consistent sleep, and mindfulness are helpful strategies to help children with a history of trauma.
References