Children are among the most vulnerable groups. If not accorded the protection that they need, they could be exposed to hazards that lead to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. The damage that the children suffer as a result of the hazards is not confined to childhood. There is ample evidence that links negative childhood experiences to adverse outcomes in adulthood. Essentially, when a child is exposed to hazards, they are likely to experience physical and mental health challenges during their lifetime. In her TED talk, Nadine Burke Harris (2014) addressed the association between childhood trauma and adulthood health outcomes. Her message is indeed alarming and is in line with the perspectives addressed in the course reading, the text by Wallace and Robertson (2016).
Harris is among the leading experts on child health. As noted above, she dedicates her TED talk to childhood trauma. The main message that she conveys is that such traumatic issues as sexual, physical and mental abuse can expose children to negative health outcomes in adulthood. Additionally, according to Harris (2014), childhood trauma also sets the stage for harmful practices such as alcohol and substance abuse. In presenting these insights, Harris (2014) relies heavily on the results of a study that sought to establish the association between adverse childhood experiences and health outcomes in adulthood. The results of this study have been confirmed by other researchers. For example, Zarse et al. (2019) determined that poor mental health and addictions can be attributed to childhood trauma. A similar conclusion was reached by Copeland et al. (2018) and Hailes et al. (2019) who also blamed childhood trauma for poor health outcomes among adults. Basically, there is no question that when children are abused, neglected or exposed to violence and substance dependence, they face serious risk of having health challenges later in their lives.
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Wallace and Robertson (2016) explore childhood trauma and the implications that it presents for human health. They give special focus to domestic violence and parental incarceration. According to the duo, when exposed to these hazards, children are likely to become suicidal adults who use drugs and are drawn to criminal behavior. Additionally, Wallace and Robertson (2016) note that childhood trauma increases the risk for sexual violence and abuse among adults who experienced the trauma. Their observations confirm the issues that Harris (2014) explores. Both Wallace and Robertson and Harris agree that unless they are protected against trauma, children are bound to develop into maladapted adults with serious physical and mental health issues.
In addition to shedding light on the dangers of childhood trauma, Harris (2014) also talks about some of the interventions that can be adopted. She urges practitioners to play a leading role in adopting such measures as intensive screening and conducting home visits. Additionally, she challenges Americans to understand that childhood trauma does not affect such at-risk children as those from poor families alone. According to Harris (2014), even white children from wealthy families can experience trauma. Robertson and Wallace (2016) also acknowledge that there are interventions that can be used to solve childhood trauma. For example, they remind law enforcement officers to prioritize the wellbeing of children when arresting the parents. Furthermore, Robertson and Wallace call on medical practitioners to link abused and neglected children to services that can address their trauma. In essence, there are numerous solutions that can be harnessed to protect children and help those who have already experienced trauma to find healing.
While the text by Robertson and Wallace (2016) is extensive, there are some issues that it fails to address. Among these issues is the lack of action to tackle childhood trauma. Harris (2014) makes sure to talk about this issue. She uses her talk to highlight how the US continues to fail its children. Harris (2014) decries the country’s failure to take action despite the numerous tools and interventions available at its disposal. While they do not necessarily recognize America’s reluctance to respond to childhood trauma, Robertson and Wallace (2016) seem to agree that the US is grappling with serious hardships. For instance, they note that there are some who feel that childhood trauma is made to seem more prevalent and serious than it actually is. Basically, according to Robertson and Wallace (2014), childhood trauma is not receiving the proper attention that it demands. In combination with the views of Harris (2014), the discussion by Robertson and Wallace (2016) make it clear that childhood trauma is so grave that the US cannot continue to ignore it.
For the most part, Robertson and Wallace (2016) agree with Harris (2014). However, Harris’ talk is simply far more compelling. She is persuasive because she provides evidence and delivers her points expertly. Moreover, Harris harnesses the personal connection that she has established with the audience to direct attention toward childhood trauma and its damaging effect on health. Her expert delivery underscores the role that the communication medium that one chooses plays in affecting how they convey their message.
In closing, there is no question that childhood trauma negatively affects human health. Harris (2014) reiterates this point in her TED talk. She reminds her audience that childhood trauma sets the stage for grave health challenges later in life. Other scholars have also drawn connections between childhood trauma and development across the human lifetime. The main lesson drawn from the talk is that urgent action should be instituted to protect children against trauma. Health professionals should be in the forefront of implementing the solutions.
References
Copeland, W. E., Shanahan, L., Hinesley, J., Chan, R. F., Aberg, K. A., Fairbank, J. A., Van den Oord, E. J. C. G., & Costello, J. (2018). Association of childhood trauma exposure with adult psychiatric disorders and functional outcomes. JAMA Network Open. 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.4493
Hailes, H. P., Yu, R., Danese, A., & Fazel, S. (2019). Long-term outcomes of childhood sexual abuse: an umbrella review. The Lancet Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30286-X
Harris, N. B. (2014). How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime. TED. Retrieved November 3, 2019 from https://www.ted.com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects_health_across_a_lifetime?language=en#t-943652
Robertson, C., & Wallace, P. H. (2016). Family violence: legal, medical and social perspectives. 8 th Edition. London: Routledge.
Zarse, E. M., Neff, M. R., Yoder, R., Hulvershorn, L., Chambers, J. E. & Chambers, A. (2019). The adverse childhood experiences questionnaire: Two decades of research on childhood trauma as a primary cause of adult mental illness, addiction, and medical diseases. Cogent Medicine, 6 (1), 1-24.
