Adverse Childhood Experiences with Dawn Hood-Patterson, Ph.D.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect all of us, whether we realize it or not. ACEs are linked to health problems in adulthood such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, depression and diabetes. But how can that be? Dawn Hood-Patterson, Ph.D., is the program manager of Community Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences at the Center for Children’s Health, led by Cook Children’s. Dr. Hood-Patterson explains the science behind ACEs and why it’s so important for parents to process their trauma. She also shares her own personal story of trauma and how it set her on a path to help others. Raising Joy is part of Cook Children’s Health Care System’s Joy Campaign, a communications initiative aimed at preventing youth suicides. For more information about the Joy Campaign, visit cookchildrens.org/joy.