The impact of adverse childhood experiences on mental and somatic health in childhood and adolescence

Multiple studies prove that children who were exposed to adverse childhood experiences within their families are increasingly at risk of various high-risk behaviours, bullying, mental and somatic disorders. In children/adolescents who undergo terrifying experiences on a repetitive, sometimes daily basis without being provided support and the basic safety they would need, all aspects of personality development will be seriously affected. Urgent action is needed in Hungary to identify these children and provide them with therapeutic support. The field of childhood adversities and their consequences has been undeservedly neglected by research, despite the fact that preventive and therapeutic interventions could be specifically designed based on this knowledge during childhood and adolescence. In our study, we present international data on the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences. We discuss in detail the association of adverse childhood experiences with biological and cognitive impairments attachment disorders, externalising and internalising disorders, somatic disorders and health risk behaviours in childhood and adolescence. Besides presenting empirical data on adverse experiences and consequences, the purpose of our publication is to raise awareness and sensitisation among professionals.