When a child has more than a bad day
Conference offers strategies for people to help children who have experienced trauma
When a child throws a tantrum, it’s easy to chalk it up to having a bad day.
But the underlying cause may be much more, according to Ginny Foote, president of the LC Valley Resilience Coalition. Trauma kids encounter through what are called adverse childhood experiences, or ACES, can affect how they behave for years to come.
“The science shows that when a person has experienced traumatic experiences under the age of 18, it affects the way their brain develops,” Foote said. “Those effects can cause emotional, mental and physical conditions or reactions throughout their lifespan.”
The coalition organized a conference, the first of its kind for the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, to help others better understand adverse childhood experiences and their impacts. Through breakout sessions and speakers, those in attendance will be able to learn about the strategies and skills required for working with those who have experienced various types of adversity.
The most common adverse childhood experiences — identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — include physical, sexual and verbal abuse, and physical and emotional neglect. But they also include losing a parent through divorce or death, or having an incarcerated family member or one who struggles with addiction or mental illness.
“There are many adverse childhood experiences that people have, probably as many as there are people,” Foote said.
To get out of “fight or flight” mode, those who have experienced these traumas need to build resilience, or “protective factors,” to help them cope with some of the behaviors or reactions they have.
“Those protective factors are learning different tools they can use so they can stay calm, make decisions and learn, versus giving a reaction,” Foote said.
The conference, which will cater to all knowledge levels, includes an introductory “ACES 101” talk, and also covers more advanced topics like historical trauma from a American Indian viewpoint. It will teach people how to de-escalate someone or how to encourage those having a reaction to express their feelings in a more positive way.
One of the goals of the LC Valley Resilience Conference is to help people work more effectively, with a trauma-informed approach, Foote said.
Hy’D Andrews, a coalition board member, said she also hopes attendees look inward to understand and identify adverse experiences they themselves have gone through, so they can better understand what others deals with.
“This really is for everyone,” Andrews said of the conference. “It’s for parents, teachers, guardians and caregivers. It’s just for people who care for other people.”
The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at the Red Lion Hotel, 621 21st St., Lewiston. Check-in is at 8:30 a.m.
More information about the event and online registration is available at www.lcvrc.org. The cost is $45 for coalition members or $65 for nonmembers.
Tomtas may be contacted at jtomtas@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2294.
