The Movement

I have met some very remarkable young people who have consistently thrived despite extremely enormous stresses. I’ve asked them how they’ve managed to cope under adverse circumstances. And ultimately I have realized it is connection. Connection is a key protective factor for young people. Connection to adults within the home, school and community can make a young person feel valued and protected. Despite this new knowledge, I still witness the same group of young resilient people slip through the cracks and oftentimes suffer from preventable diseases. Struggling to grapple such quizzical information, I fortunately came across this incredible and inspiring TEDMED talk by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris. As she has researched and studied a correlation between “ACES” and health she passionately discusses her training, her views and ultimately her course of action to approach this public health issue. “Adverse childhood experiences are the single greatest public health threat facing our nation today.” Recognizing this as a public health crisis, will physicians now use the right toolkit to create such a movement to respond?

Food for thought.