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The Pandemic and Childhood Trauma:
The ACE Study (Adverse Childhood Experiences) shows that the more traumatic events a child is exposed to, the more likely they are to suffer from things like addiction, mental illness or even cancer and heart disease throughout their lives.
The ACE Study (Adverse Childhood Experiences) shows that the more traumatic events a child is exposed to, the more likely they are to suffer from things like addiction, mental illness or even cancer and heart disease throughout their lives.
Traumatic events overtaxe the stress response system and affect our bodies and brains on a cellular leve, even changing the ways our genes are expressed.
Economic insecurity leads to an increase in parental addiction, child abuse as well as an interruption in things like parental attachment, all of which can be damaging to a child's development by causing trauma.
The original ACE Study was conducted 20 years ago by the CDC, but subsequent studies in the past 10 years looked at how things like poverty, unemployment, community violence and racism impacted the development of a child. We found that low SES was just as damaging as sexual abuse
The current economic and social stress that American children have been under for the past 10 months is taking a serious toll on their health. Their physical, emotional as well as cognitive development are being affected.
When parents are stressed because of housing issues, inability to pay bills, unemployment and lack of health care, trauma and stress on children increases.
These things, coupled with the stress of social isolation, can make it difficult for kids to learn and increase the likelihood of behavioral problems and disorders.
Childhood trauma was a big problem before the pandemic, and it is an even bigger problem now. Without changes and intervention, children living through this time will grow up with a significant increase in the likelihood that they will suffer the worst effects of this trauma.
Any governmental response must be premised in this understanding. $600 checks are not enough. Neither are $2000 checks. Families need security in the form of monthly UBI, retro to March, and for the duration of this pandemic in order to prevent the worst outcomes for children.
We need Medicare for All. We need UBI. We need guaranteed housing. Anything short of universal guarantees will continue to place incredible pressures on parents and children, creating a generation of kids who grow up traumatized, hurt and unhealthy.
We must think about how our inadequate response to families will affect children throughout their lives. A vaccine will not take away the pain and trauma that is affecting their brains and bodies.
We need real action. A massive and transformational transfer of wealth from the wealthiest individuals down to the working class must be forged. We need guaranteed free universal health care. We need guaranteed housing for all. We need UBI.
We are in a moment where we can decide to use our power for good, to prevent the worst from happening, or to continue propping up the ruling class while throwing crumbs to families and letting children suffer.
To all progressives in gov: YOU must lead this charge NOW. We must #ForceTheVote on M4A. We must demand monthly UBI of $2000-3000 per adult. We must reshape our economy to guarantee a world where all children flourish and have the opportunity to reach their greatest potential.
Not doing this will guarantee us an emerging generation of young adults plagued by addiction, anxiety, depression, depressed cognitive ability and who are physically sicker than the generation that preceeded them.
Capitalism as a system emphasizes individualism and competition, the strongest survive. We need to move past that system and embrace one of community, mutual aid and common purpose. This moment provides us such an opportunity. Will we take it?
@RashidaTlaib @aoc @BernieSanders @IlhanMN @AyannaPressley @JamaalBowmanNY @CoriBush
#UBI #ForceTheVote #Trauma
#UBI #ForceTheVote #Trauma
