With the growing occurrence of child abuse in Nigeria and around the world, experts have expressed concern about the long-term health consequences of bad childhood experiences on progression into adulthood. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(2014), ACEs are stressful or traumatic events in childhood that have long-term health consequences, such as a weakened immune system, depression, and other psychological conditions, and are associated with mortality as well as morbidity in adults.

2. 2
With the growing occurrence of child abuse in Nigeria and around the
world, experts have expressed concern about the long-term health
consequences of bad childhood experiences on progression into
adulthood. According to the Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention(2014), ACEs are stressful or traumatic events in childhood
that have long-term health consequences, such as a weakened
immune system, depression, and other psychological conditions, and
are associated to mortality as well as morbidity in adults.

3. ACE occur in children who have
been through bad experiences such
as abuse, neglect, witnessing
violence at home or growing up in a
family with mental health or SUD
problem
Helping children prevent ACEs
have the potential to substantially
lower the risk of conditions like
asthma, cancer, depressive
disorder, diabetes, heart attack,
hypertension and other chronic
3

4. Those who have
experienced
ACEs are at
higher risk of
dying from five
of the top leading
cause of death
4
Studies have demonstrated that exposure to specific types of
ACEs selectively affect sensory systems which are involved
in perceiving the trauma that was experienced(Heim,
Mayberg, Mletzko, Meneroff, & Preusnsner 2010)
Women who were exposed to emotional abuse showed
thinning in brain regions associated with self-awareness and
self-evaluation
Children with earlier exposure (sexual abuse) before age 12
are at greater risk of having prominent depressive symptoms,
while those reporting sexual abuse after the age of 12 are at
greater risk of having severe post-traumatic symptoms (PTSD)
Agbaje, et.al.,(2021)

5. 5
Prolonged childhood
trauma, a child’s brain will
produce an overload of
stress hormones that can
harm the function and
structure of the brain.
The Nigerian violence against children survey(
VACS) in 2014 showed that before age 18, 6 in 10
children have experienced at least 2 or more
types (sexual abuse, emotional violence, physical
violence, psychological violence) in the past 12
months.
Sexual abuse (41.3%) physical neglect (38.5%)
physical abuse (30%), two third (67.3%) had
experienced at least one type of abuse

6. 6
 Individuals who have had difficult childhood experiences.
 Coming from a low income family
 Coming from a family with a low level of education
 Growing up with high levels of family stress
 Growing up with high levels of economic stress
 Growing in a family that is not close knit and doesn’t speak
openly about feelings
 Having parents who used spanking or corporal punishment
 Having parents who themselves had been abused or
neglected

7. 7
According to these studies ACE scores tend be
slightly higher among females than males with
household experiences (Dube et al., 2001; Duke,
Pettingell, McMorris, & Borowsky, 2010; Merrick et
al., 2018). males were more than two and a half
times more likely than females to report violent
crime victimization

8. The Role of Guardians and
Caregivers
 Care givers can help prevent and reduce the
negative impacts of adverse childhood
experiences (ACEs) by creating positive childhood
experiences and connecting individuals with
activities and caring adults that build their sense of
safety, confidence, and community.
 They can develop parental resilience in dealing
with the ripple effects of these experiences.
8

9. Recognising ACEs
9
 Have difficulty forming close relationships with others
 Have trouble keeping a job
 Have difficulty with finances
 Experience depression
 Be more likely to be involved in violence

10. What can intervention
do? 10
 Early intervention helps to limit exposure to adversity and
build a safe, stable and nurturing environment
 It can help individuals make meaningful connections
between their childhood and current behaviour, develop
compassion for themselves and choose a more protected
path
 It can help identify protect individuals from further adversity
so it doesn’t become transgenerational

11. Who Are We?
11
SYNAPSE SERVICES is the largest provider of mental health and psychological medicine.
Since 2010, we have taken lead in providing holistic and cost-effective psychiatric care and
drug rehabilitation services in line with global best practices.
We help people of all ages find hope, support, and therapy. We recognise that you need
to be understood and supported. We see you as an individual functioning within a family
unit that is connected to the environment and community around you, not as a patient.
Synapse services have centers located in Port Harcourt, Awka, Lagos and Abuja.We
maintain strong industry standard services, with a full range of locally and
internationally trained mental health and occupational health professionals who provide
wholistic and evidence-based psychological programs for individuals, families,
organizations and communities.

12. What we do
12
Drug
Addiction,
Bipolar and
Mood
disorders
Anxiety
and
Depression
Drug
Addiction

13. 13
Our clinical protocols are
a mixture of international
standard and best
practice guides from
trained clinicians. We pay
attention to confidentiality
and treat our clients with
utmost respect.
Our facilities are
equipped with rTMS
machine, a modern
medical equipment used
for the treatment of
addiction and other
mental and psychological
illnesses.

14. Why Choose
Us
14
Best
professionals
Friendly
environment
Latest
technology
Support and
care
Evidence
based
treatment
interventions

15. REFERENCES
15
Barnett, M. L., Sheldrick, R. C., Liu, S. R., Kia-Keating, M., & Negriff, S. (2021). Implications of adverse
childhood experiences screening on behavioral health services: A scoping review and systems modeling
analysis. American Psychologist, 76(2), 364–378. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000756
Bahk, Y.C, Jank, S.K, Choi,K.H. Lee, S.H.(2017). The relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal
ideation: role of maltreatment and potential mediators. Psychiatry investigation, 12(1),37.
Agbaje, S., Nnaji, C.P., Nwagu, N.E., Iweama, C, et.al. (2021). Adverse childhood experiences and
psychological distress among higher eduction students in southeast Nigeria: an institutional based cross
cultural study. Archives of public health 79(1)
National population commission of Nigeria,UNICEF Nigeria, the US. Centers for disease control and
preention. Violence against children in Nigeria: Findings from a national survey, 2014. Abuja:
UNICEF;2016. retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/Nigeria/resporces_10185.html
Hector E. AlcalaH.E., Valdez-Dadia A, Von Ehrenstein O.S., (2017) Adverse childhood experiences and
access and utilization of health care. Journal of public health 40(4)1-9
Oladeji,B.D., Makanjuola, V.A Guruje, O.,(20101). Family relatated adverse childhood experiences as risk
factors for psychiatric disorders in Nigeria British Journal of Psychiatry; 196( 3)186-91

16. REFERENCES
16
Teicher, M.H., Samson, J.A( 2013) childhood maltreatment and psychopathology: a case for
ecophenotypic variants as clinically and neurobilogically distinct substypes. American journal of
psychiatru170:1114-33
Dub, S.R, Anda,R.F,Felith,V.J, Chapman,D.P, William, D.F.& Giles,W.H.(2001). Childhood
abuse,household dysfunction and the risk of attempted suicide throughout the lif span: findings from the
adverse childhood experiences study.JAMA,286(24).3089-3096
Duke,N.N., Pettingel,S.L.,Mcmorris,B.J, & Borrowsky,U.W.(2010). Adolescent violence
perpetration,Association with multiple types of adverse childhood experiences. Pediatrics,125(4) e778-
e786
Merrick,M.T., Ford,D.C., Ports,K.A.,& Guinn,A.S.(2018). Prevalance of adverse childhood experiences
from 2011-2014 behavioral risk factor surveillance system in 23 states. JAMA, pedicatrics. 172(11)1038-
1044
Heim, C.M, Mayberg,H.S., Mletzko, T., Meneroff, C.B., Preusnsner,J.C.(2010). decreased cortical
representation of genital somatosensory field after childhood sexual abuse. American journal of
psychiatry. 170:616-23
Anderson,S.L., Tomada, A., Vincow,E.S, Valente, E,. Polcari, A., Teicher, .H(2008). Preliminary evidence
for sensitive periods in the effect of childhood sexual abuse on regional brain development. Journal of
neuropsychiatry clinical neuroscience. 20(292-301)