Impact of Childhood Trauma

How does childhood trauma affect children over time? This is the question that pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris tackles during her 2014 TedTalk. Throughout the talk, Dr. Burke Harris stresses the point that abuse, neglect, and parental struggles with their own health issues has “real, tangible effects on the development of a child’s brain.” She believes these traumas can be so severe that children who experience high levels of trauma are at a greater risk for major health issues like heart disease and cancer as adults. Dr. Burke Harris believes the best way to prevent these lifelong health issues is to take an active approach to prevention. Like Dr. Burke Harris, I believe taking an active approach is essential but I think this approach has to be one that includes all of the adults: parents, educators, and health professionals. tlb