Empty swing hanging in a dark, moody playground at night.

Childhood Trauma Is a War Injury: How ACEs Rewire the Brain and Fuel Crime

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, childabuse, Featured Articles, Mikes Favorite Posts, Reporting and News - US Based

Childhood trauma and Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in war veterans look different on the surface—but biologically, they are strikingly similar. We accept that a soldier torn apart by bullets or standing next to a friend killed by a bomb will carry invisible brain injuries. Yet we still struggle to see how growing up in a violent, chaotic, or deeply neglectful home can damage a child’s brain in many of the same ways.

A young girl with messy hair looks sad in front of a blackboard with emotional writing.

Child Death, Employee Burnout & Guardian ad Litem Volunteers

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Reporting and News - MN Specific

The tortured death of 4 year old Eric Dean in 2013 prompted the first in depth reporting on parental child murder I can remember. CASAMN gave the reporter (Brandon Stahl) an award and had him speak at our annual conference.

At that time, several children in my caseload had been almost murdered by their caregivers.

A number of my caseload kids (4,5, and 6 year old children) had suffered years of unspeakable sexual abuse and other violence. Their stories never made the paper.