By Heather C. Forkey and James H. Duffee, American Academy of Pediatrics, July 26, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic and our nation’s racial reckoning have given new visibility to trauma and its impact on children.
Even before the pandemic, it was understood that the most fundamental threats to health have their roots in adversities experienced by children without sufficient buffering of a caregiver. Behavior, development, relationships and physical health can be affected for a lifetime due to the impacts of adverse experiences on brain development and neurophysiology, immune function and gene expression.
Pediatric clinicians, who are trusted by families and engage with youths throughout the life course, have an opportunity to improve outcomes. But how?
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