Who is Most Likely to Have a Tough Childhood?

Traumatic experiences can be caused by anything that makes a kid feel dangerous or fragile, like verbal, physical, or sexual abuse, an unstable home or family situation, domestic violence, a serious illness, bullying, or invasive medical treatments.

Research shows these things can change a child's mental health and behavior in the long run. They can cause problems with learning, addiction, and other mental health issues in adolescence and adults.

Children of drinkers are more likely than other kids to have a bad childhood. A study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that about one in ten children in the United States has a parent who abuses alcohol at least sometimes.

Because their parents drink a lot, these kids have a wide range of mental problems, such as guilt, anxiety, embarrassment, confusion, anger, and sadness. They may also have trouble getting close to other adults or kids because they feel mentally abandoned and ignored.

They may also keep their feelings to themselves because they don't want to upset their parents. This can lead to long-term mental problems like a fear of fighting or getting hurt. They might lie about their families to keep people from getting too close to them, or they might do badly in school because they feel ashamed.

Children whose parents are in jail or prison are more likely than other kids to have mental health problems, drug abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. This is because being locked up makes these kids more likely to have bad experiences as kids.

A lot of study shows that these problems can be overcome by children who grow up with good ties. Also, many of these kids learn to be strong and go on to have good lives.

But many families find it hard to keep in touch with a parent who is in jail. Phone calls and trips to jail can hurt a family's finances. The institution may even need specific lists of people to call that must be accepted before any contact occurs.

Single-parent-raised children often have several mental health problems. They might have more problems at school and be less driven than kids with two parents.

Also, children with only one parent tend to feel less good about themselves. This could make them feel worse about themselves than their friends, making them sad.

Trauma in childhood has a big effect on a child's growth, interactions, and health. It's called "adverse childhood experiences" (ACEs), linked to several long-term problems, like poor physical health, drug abuse, bad grades, social problems, and crime.

Children who grow up with parents who don't care about them are most likely to be hurt as kids. Neglect can hurt a child's mental health for a long time. It can hurt their self-esteem and make it hard for them to trust others.

It can also lead to long-term health problems and other problems with growth. In some cases, it can even cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), though the exact link between PTSD and child abuse has not been found.

Many different things can lead to neglect, such as mental illness, drug abuse, unwanted birth, domestic violence, and poverty. These things make it more likely that a parent won't meet a child's basic wants, like food, medical care, guidance, a place to live, clothes, and an education.

When a kid goes through a stressful event, they may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can make it hard for them to get along with other people and do well in school.

They might react badly to sounds, smells, or places that remind them of the stressful event. This could hurt them or others. They could develop worry, despair, thoughts of suicide, or use drugs.

Children who are abused physically also have long-term health problems, such as brain damage, mental issues, and a weak immune system.

Violence in the home can also make it hard to be a good parent. Domestic abuse makes parents more likely to have problems like sadness and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).