Mind + Body
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How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime

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Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the 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. This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are at triple the risk for heart disease and lung cancer. An impassioned plea for pediatric medicine to confront the prevention and treatment of trauma, head-on.

Aired February 17, 2015

All TED content is available at www.ted.com

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    5 Comments
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    MJ B
    Dr. Burke has certainly brought some valid points to the table. However, having arrived from a “four-point” background myself, I’d argue her research as incomplete. Often the more abusive homes have lower financial ratings and stress is overwhelming for the children, due to equally stressed parents. Food intake, especially lacking nutrition, ultimately impacts thinking and cortisol levels. Economically challenged cannot afford building nutrients. My children are loved w/o abuse, lacking vitamins
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    Leslie S
    Thanks for that information it was an eye opener. I answered all of those question "yes" except for one and also had a sibling die of cancer at age 39 which was not hereditary. I do have a question can someone who suffered as a child through my DNA being misplaced can it pass on to my children even if they weren't exposed to most childhood tramas? It's as if my feelings that I learned to suppress passed on to them.
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    Judy S
    I hope Michelle Obama and Melania Trump take this on and help to get this in place in our healthcare system nationwide ASAP! Long overdue! The effects of my childhood have lasted decades for me. I would like to put an end to the silence on the subject of neglect and abuse for all the people everywhere. And I'm thrilled to see the medical community opening up to the fact that the mind absolutely does effect health!
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    Sara Sofia C
    I knew where her Ted talk was going within the first 5min! It explains so much about my development and others I know!!
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    Kara K
    Wow so I found that my ACE is a 6. I'm actually shocked! I haven't consciously every allowed my childhood adversity to affect me. I hope I'm in the clear but my current health says not so much
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