In her TED talk, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris discusses the profound and long-term health impacts of childhood trauma. In the mid-90s, a study by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente revealed that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) significantly increase the risk of numerous leading causes of death, affecting brain development, the immune system, and even gene expression. High doses of ACEs can lead to a tripling of the lifetime risk of heart disease and lung cancer, and reduce life expectancy by 20 years. Despite these findings, routine screening and treatment for childhood trauma are not standard practice in healthcare.Dr. Harris emphasizes that ACEs include severe threats such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, which can deeply affect children’s physiology and development. Initially viewing these issues through the lens of social or mental health problems, her perspective shifted when she started practicing in an underserved community in San Francisco. Here, she noticed a trend of misdiagnosed ADHD in children who had experienced severe trauma.The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study demonstrated that ACEs are widespread, with 67% of the population experiencing at least one, and 12.6% having four or more. There is a clear dose-response relationship between ACEs and health outcomes: higher ACE scores correlate with worse health, including increased risks for chronic diseases and mental health issues.Understanding the science behind ACEs, Dr. Harris advocates for integrating this knowledge into medical practice. Her clinic, the Center for Youth Wellness, screens for ACEs and provides comprehensive care to mitigate their effects. She argues for a public health approach to address the widespread impact of childhood trauma, likening it to past public health crises that have been successfully managed. Dr. Harris calls for a societal commitment to recognize and treat the long-term effects of early adversity, emphasizing that it affects everyone and is both preventable and treatable.
