A New Age of Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences

Course overview

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are specific types of childhood trauma and include psychological, physical, or sexual abuse, witnessing violence against the mother, living with household members who have a substance use disorder, are mentally ill or suicidal, or are imprisoned. Recognizing a need for intervention to disrupt adverse childhood experiences to illness trajectory, The American Academy of Pediatrics has called upon medical clinicians to address ACEs through screening and community building. Since there is currently no guideline for how to address ACEs, its important to use available literature to guide professional practice when considering how and when to screen for and address ACEs. At this time, evidence suggests ACE screening should occur routinely in the primary care setting. Previously held beliefs about the amount of clinician training required to have ACE conversations were prohibitive to the practice of screening and following up on the questionnaire. The evidence also indicates these misconceptions are contrary to patient preference, patients want to be asked about ACEs.