How childhood traumas affect school (video)

Seth Auberon, Pat Macpherson, Wisdom Quarterly; Annie Gilbertson (KPCC FM/SCPR.org);  Dr. Gabor Mate ("Zeitgeist: Moving Forward")

ADD, ADHD, impairment, anxiety, Aspberger's? Childhood trauma -- such as sexual, emotional, economic, and physical abuse and neglect -- is widespread among Los Angeles students, negatively impacting their learning (Tom Woodward/flickr/scpr.org).

(TS) Doctors explain that the cause of disease is not "genetic" but caused by the environment in conjunction with possible genetic predispositions. The predisposition is not the key, our environment (early childhood impacts) is. Nature vs. nurture: What is human nature, how are we nurtured by our environment? Human health and disease? Full movie: "Zeitgeist."

 

Annie Gilbertson (SCPR)

Almost 14 percent of Los Angeles County residents report multiple instances of abuse, neglect, or other negative experiences as children, impacting their ability to do well in school, according to a data report released today [Nov. 6, 2014].

"It's a public health crisis," said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, founder and CEO of the Center for Youth Wellness, an organization advocating for services to address trauma suffered by children.

"This is not just a small percentage of the population -- that it's happening in limited neighborhoods -- but this is really all of us, and that's going to require system change," she said.

The report builds on a growing body of research showing trauma and chronic stress can change the chemical and physical structures of the brain, making it difficult for some students to learn.

Despite academic implications, the investment in mental health services provided in schools has fallen.

Los Angeles Unified's budget for psychiatric social workers, who typically provide counseling for depression, anxiety, [drug abuse] and other illnesses, dipped 15 percent this school year. More

• VIDEO: How stress can cause disease (caregiving)

(Allan Gregg) How does childhood trauma and stress lead to addiction and brain changes? According to Dr. Mate, it's a difficult struggle for hardcore drug addicts to kick their habit because their brains are impaired. What are the roots of addictive behaviors and what can be done about them? In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction.