The AAP opens up access to ACE studies to highlight long-term impact of family separations and detentions at the border

_{Photo by Gerald R. Nino/Wikimedia.org}

"We have created a collection of articles on toxic stress since the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, the Committee on Early Childhood, Adoption and Dependent Care, and the Section on Behavior and Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics published their landmark policy statement, “Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Role of the Pediatrician: Translating Developmental Science into Lifelong Health.”  Since this sentinel and much-cited policy statement was first published, Pediatrics has gone on to publish many articles on toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences, which demonstrate with solid research the negative emotional and physical consequences of being placed into horrendous stressful situations, such as those occurring to these children. 

We hope that by opening these articles to everyone, it will become clear that placing children abruptly separated from parents in crowded detention centers is going to not just affect these children while they are kept there, but potentially will affect them for the rest of their lives. These articles make a compelling argument that these children should be reunited with those who can love and comfort them as soon as possible."

To continue reading and to access links to the articles on the American Academy of Pediatrics website, please click here:

http://www.aappublications.org/toxic-stress