Childhood trauma impacts the development of 1 in 4 children in the U.S.
What is Childhood Trauma?
Childhood Trauma refers to experiences which cause overwhelming stress to a child between conception and approximately 7 years of age. These traumatic experiences can be caused by stress exposure in utero, separation from a primary caregiver, physical assault, sexual violence, natural disaster, accidents, adoption, death, and neglect, whether through a specific incident or chronic exposure.
What are the symptoms of Childhood Trauma?
A child who suffers from early life trauma has vulnerabilities in the development of cognitive, behavioral, or physiological issues as he/she grows. These children have a propensity for poor interpersonal relationships, social skills, academic struggles, impulsive behaviors, attachment issues, self-sabotaging, and a profound sense of shame. Childhood trauma is often inclusive of early life relinquishment from a biological parent where anxiety, insecurity, and shame are related to an adoption experience.
46% of children in the U.S. have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
The number of adverse childhood experiences an individual has is directly related to risk factors and health issues in adulthood (Felitti, 2003). To study this relationship, The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study was conducted and is one of the largest investigations to assess the association between childhood maltreatment and later-in-life health and well being.
Knowing your ACE’s score can assist in the treatment, healing, and prevention of inter-generational traumas, personal depression, maladaptive coping (addictions, isolation, etc.), and dysfunction within interpersonal relationships.
The ACE Study contains 10 questions, 5 questions are personal, and five questions are related to other family members. These 10 questions identify the most common adverse childhood experiences and correlate them to a percentage of likely hood for developing social, emotional, and cognitive impairments, high risk behavior, disease, disability, social problems, and even early death.
Take the time to assess your risk and be equipped with tools for intervention.
How do you treat trauma?
Children suffering from the impact of early life trauma are inclined to experience attachment related issues where a deep sense of mistrust elevates their sense of survival and withdrawal from healthy intimate interactions with caregivers. All Calo programs implement a unique and truly relational treatment model based on the science of neurobiology and evidence-based attachment and trauma treatment research. Calo’s proprietary Developmental Trauma Treatment Model (CASA) and Clinical Structure is pervasive throughout the programs.
The unique model facilitates establishing, deepening and maintaining healthy and safe relationships that ultimately lead to co-regulation and Joy.
Calo Programs specialize in healing the affects of childhood trauma. We look beyond the symptoms and treat the root cause of childhood trauma. We utilize several clinical modalities across all programs.
- Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy
- Canine Therapy
- Heart Rate Variability Training – Heartmath
- Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga
- Ocupational and Sensory Therapy
How to get help
If you or a loved one would like to speak with our admissions specialists about how Calo can assist your family please fill out the form below.
The Campaign to Heal Childhood Trauma
In 2017, Calo Programs partnered with three leading, national attachment, trauma and adoption nonprofits to form “The Campaign to Heal Childhood Trauma”. The purpose of the Campaign to Heal Childhood Trauma is to increase compassion and understanding for the lifelong effects of childhood trauma, often impacted by adoption, and to share a hope for healing.
This tour provides education, training, and advocacy for the treatment of early childhood trauma and the inclusion of Developmental Trauma Disorder in the next revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders commonly known as the DSM-5. It is essential that parents, professionals, and the public understand the wide spread impact of childhood trauma and how we can all be empowered to create healing and a greater capacity for joy.