Child Abuse Awareness

Traumatic events that happen in childhood leading to toxic stress

Child abuse and neglect, two examples of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), are serious public health problems. ACEs are strongly related to the development and prevalence of a variety of substance use and behavioral health disorders.

Exposure to chronic stressful events can disrupt children’s brain development. As a result, this may impair the child’s cognitive functioning and/or ability to cope with negative or disruptive emotions. Over time, and often during adolescence, the child may adopt unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance use or self-harm. Eventually, these coping mechanisms can contribute to disease, disability, social problems, and premature mortality.

Research has demonstrated a strong, graded relationship between ACEs and a variety of substance-related behaviors, including:

Early initiation of alcohol use
Continued nicotine use during adulthood
Prescription drug use
Higher risk of mental and substance use disorders as an older adult

The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) has launched the ACEs data dashboard to provide key metrics on the prevalence of ACEs in St. Mary’s County.

Because ACEs are common and strongly related to a variety of mental and substance use disorders, preventing ACEs and engaging in early intervention of people who have experienced trauma could have a significant impact on a range of critical health problems.

Protective factors are conditions or attributes that, when present in families and communities, increase the well-being of children and families and reduce the likelihood of maltreatment. Identifying protective factors helps parents find resources, supports, or coping strategies that allow them to parent effectively—even under stress. There are six protective factors: