Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) | Vital signs

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur during childhood. ACEs include growing up in a family with violence, abuse, or mental health or substance use issues. Toxic stress from ACEs can alter brain development and affect the body's response to stress. ACEs are associated with chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance abuse in adulthood. However, ACEs are preventable.

Preventing ACEs can help children and adults grow and may:

• Reduces risk of diseases such as depression, asthma, cancer, and diabetes in adulthood.
• Reduce risky behaviors such as smoking and heavy drinking.
• improve educational and employment possibilities;
• Prevents ACEs from being passed from one generation to the next.