ACEs or adverse childhood experiences are potentially traumatic things that occur in a child’s life. These experiences occur before a child is eighteen, but they remember them throughout their life. ACEs refer to specific types of trauma children may experience. They include physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; neglect, losing a parent such as through divorce, being exposed to domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, having a member of the household who abuses drugs or alcohol, and having a parent who has been in jail. Children living through these experiences may suffer from adverse effects for the rest of their lives. Watch Dr. Nadine Burke Harris’s TedTalkLinks to an external site. and answer the following questions:
1. How did she describe the impact of adverse childhood experiences on health?
2. What did you find surprising, interesting, or unexpected from the video?
3. How would you incorporate your new understanding of ACEs in your work with children and families?
