For kids with large numbers of ACEs, even a teacher’s calming touch on the shoulder can seem like a potential threat, and on the flip side, the reward center of their brain has been changed to the point that pleasing activities or experiences for most people are not enough to make them feel good. Even their DNA is worn down, to the point that children with multiple ACEs are more prone to chronic diseases like diabetes and even cancer.

I’m sure we can all see where this is going. Just like in the days of the “refrigerator mom” being blamed for the development of autism in a child in the 1950s, today’s dysfunctional home life is to blame for a host of things wrong with kids.

(By the way, you might have noticed that the Worcester Telegram story didn’t explain what these experts meant by “childhood trauma,” except when Dr. Harris recounted the example of a violent parent who ‘punched a hole in the wall.’)

Actually the Worcester Telegraph set the stage for what these two doctor said two days previously on Sept 17^th with the story, As I See It: Addressing childhood traumas and their lifelong implications, http://www.telegram.com/opinion/20170917/as-i-see-it-addressing-childhood-traumas-and-their-lifelong-implications by Janice B. Yost, Ed.D., of Worcester, president of The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts in Worcester and Margaret LeRoux, of West Boylston, assistant director of the Worcester Education Collaborative. Theirs was a stinging indictment of parents.

…The research is unequivocal: children who experience physical or emotional abuse or neglect; witness domestic violence; live with family members with mental illness, substance abuse, or an absent parent due to separation, divorce or incarceration - in other words, children who have adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) - often struggle in school and grow into adults who are at risk for a range of health issues including heart, lung and liver disease, cancer, and obesity, and as a result are more likely to encounter an early death.

A groundbreaking study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and also Kaiser Permanente, a California based health maintenance organization, discovered the link between ACEs and chronic health issues in adults nearly 20 years ago.

The study also found childhood adversity is more the rule than the exception. Its subjects were predominantly white, middle income; people considered by many to be the healthiest in the U.S. Yet, two-thirds of the 17,000 people in the original ACEs study had at least one adverse childhood experience; one in six reported at least four.

Of the participants, 28 percent reported experiencing physical abuse and 21 percent sexual abuse. Many also reported that their parents had divorced or separated, or a parent had mental illness and/or substance use disorder. Researchers also learned that the greater the exposure to these experiences the greater the likelihood of health problems, and social, and behavioral issues later in life. …

Pediatricians have been galvanized. Robert W. Block, MD, FAAP, former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics has been widely quoted: “Children’s exposure to adverse childhood experiences is the greatest unaddressed public health threat of our time.” This month, the Academic Pediatric Association devotes its entire journal to the topic.

It is not just physicians who are dealing with the impact of ACEs; teachers and schools are too.

Children can’t leave trauma at home; their attempts to cope can affect their learning and also put them at odds with schools’ disciplinary practices. Children whose minds are consumed with worry and whose bodies are ready to fight or flee are not ready to learn

This was to be expected, and it’s a brilliant move on the part of doctors and health officials who want to move the conversation away from the vaccine controversy. What’s happening in our schools—the explosion in special needs students, out-of-district placements, more and more one-on-one aides, newly added in-school clinics and mental health services—all of this is changing the face of education in America and the cost is enormous. Someone has to explain why all this is happening, and now it’s out there.

(I’m sure the assumption is that if the American public could be made to believe that all the autism everywhere is “better diagnosing” and no real increase, this absurd claim will fly too.)

I couldn’t possibly cite all the stories about how teachers have to deal with the effects of childhood trauma, and about how school districts now have to train teachers to address this crisis and provide help. News reports are getting the research out. “Mental illness,” “mental health,” and “childhood trauma” are the catchwords used in coverage about these changes to our schools.

A stunning example is this Sept 18, 2017 piece from the Battle Creek (MI) Enquirer entitled, Harper Creek schools seek to help traumatized students. 

Laura Williams has seen students run out of classrooms without good reason. She's heard them scream in hallways for reasons she can't explain.

That's why she is leading an effort in Harper Creek Community Schools to figure out just how much of an effect traumatic experiences outside of school have on students in school.

 "We want every student to thrive," said Williams, the district's assistant superintendent for instruction."Trauma in childhood experiences threatens academic and social successes."

Harper Creek is hoping to make the school experience better for students grappling with physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and physical and emotional neglect.

It also hopes to help students trying to cope with dysfunction in their homes, such as mental illness, violence, substance abuse, divorce or a jailed relative.

Williams said that, according to national statistics, 28% of children experience physical abuse, another 27% struggle with substance abuse, 20% have been abused sexually and 13% have experienced violence in their homes.

Williams estimates that up to 1,150 of 2,600-plus students in the Harper Creek district could benefit from any efforts to help children deal with such adverse childhood experiences.

Students screaming in hallways for unknown reasons hardly sounds like what should be happening in schools, and educators are out to convince us that it’s our fault. Notice the allegation that meltdowns are because of “physical, emotional and sexual abuse, divorce or a jailed relative.” IF A CHILD has behavior issues, it’s because of something the parents have done—and that includes about half of our children, according to the Enquirer.

With the willing assistance of the press, this latest revelation will marginalize anyone claiming that vaccines are responsible for physical and mental injuries in children.

Here’s a look at what’s out there in the news. The lies and the brainwashing continue.

Sept 22, 2017, Wicked Local, Hudson: Schools bring new focus to social-emotional learning

THE ISSUE: Some educators say focusing on social-emotional learning can better prepare students for future success.

THE IMPACT: Nine Massachusetts school districts have joined a new program to develop and implement social-emotional learning strategies in everyday classroom activities. …

This came as many school districts began noticing changing demographics and an increased prevalence of depression, anxiety and other mental health issues among students.

“We got into a conversation about how much focus and emphasis we put on the academic side,” he said. “What was happening was a lot of people were saying we’ve lost our way with the needs of children in their social and emotional development.”…

Superintendent of Brockton Public Schools Kathleen A. Smith said joining the exSEL Network will expand upon existing programs that focus on mental health.

“We are happy to be a part of the exSEL Network and are eager to share the work we have done regarding trauma-sensitive schools,” Smith said.

Sept 21, 2017, Orange (TX) Leader: LU awarded $1.8 million to enhance school counselor mental health training program

The College of Education and Human Development’s School Counseling Program was awarded the funding for training school counselors by establishing a program called “IMPaCT: Integrative Mentoring Partnerships and Crisis Teams.”

The primary goal of IMPaCT is to increase the number of highly trained behavioral health specialists in local schools and agencies who can provide services to children, adolescents and transition-age youth (that is, young adults between 16 and 25 who are transitioning out of child/adolescent agency services and into adult services or into the community) who are at-risk of developing or who have a recognized behavioral health disorder….

“This grant will enable the college to further enhance the preparation of our school counseling graduates while meeting critical needs in our schools and communities,” said Robert Spina, dean of the College of Education and Human Development.  “I am excited for the students who will participate in this new initiative and grateful to Dr. Weinbaum for her leadership in developing the proposal.” …

Developing the IMPaCT program coincides with implementation of “mental health first aid” as a requirement in all Texas public schools. …“The key is to help school counselors meet mental health needs by linking with some highly-specialized experts from the community.”…

Sept 21, 2017, Walla Walla (WA) Union Bulletin: Ribbon cutting for Wa-Hi Health Center

The Health Center board of directors will host a brief ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Walla Walla High School clinic at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Tours of the facility will follow. …

 “The Health Center services directly support the district’s new Strategic Plan as we further address the social and emotional needs of our students,” Wade said in a release. “Issues like chronic absenteeism, mental health and lack of access to quality health care are embedded in the mission these school-based health centers.”…

 

Sept 21, 2017, Urban Milwaukee (WI): More Money for Schools and Lower Property Taxes: Governor Walker Signs 2017-19 State Budget into Law

…New funding for school mental health programs is included in this budget. This includes $6.5 million for school social workers, mental health services, and trauma-informed care training for school staff.

Sept 21, 2017 Danvers (MA) Wicked: Training Danvers teachers to work with students with anxiety

…As diagnoses of anxiety rise nationally, DPS brings Jessica Minahan to speak to teachers on how they can support students struggling with mental health issues.

In an audience of Danvers teachers and paraprofessionals, most said they had — at one point or another — had students in their classroom with anxiety, ADHD, or a variety of other mental health issues. …

 “We’re coming out in the field with almost no training in kids with mental health issues,” she said. “Yet, the [number of] kids with mental health issues is going up exponentially every year.”…

“We’re seeing more and more students being diagnosed with anxiety... across all grade levels,” said Dr. Mary Tatem, director of Student Services Department. “Across the country it’s happening, and schools and professionals are becoming more and more aware of the way this is impacting their lives.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 25 percent of 13-18 year olds are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime.

And the issue is apparently more prevalent in children at the preschool age, Minahan said, in which 1 in 3 students are diagnosed with clinical anxiety.

“The trend is getting a bit worse,” she said. …

Sept 21, 2017, Petosky (MI) News: New strategies offer help for area students with mental health issues

…In order to address these issues, many school districts are offering mental health services to students on school grounds, so students can have the extra support and guidance they need to be successful without having to seek outside resources. School counselors and administrators can also help students and their families navigate through outside agencies, if additional help is needed. …

One example of the offerings is the Petoskey Wellness program in Petoskey Public Schools. The program is now entering its second year of operation and provides on-site therapists at the high school and middle school and two for the four elementary schools. …

Jon Wilcox, principal of Petoskey Middle School, said he sees some students struggling with school-related anxiety and attending school “to the point where they won’t get out of the car.” …

When a student’s in crisis, it’s a barrier to their education,” he said. “They can’t focus on reading, writing or math when they’re going through some type of crisis without help in dealing with that crisis and that’s where this program is so beneficial. It allows them to access their education and deal with that crisis.”

At the high school, Stewart said they see a number of mental health issues, from social anxiety to eating disorders to depression. …

Sept 20, 2017, The UK Guardian: Primary school teachers 'not trained to deal with mental health issues'

Three out of 10 of the teachers surveyed said they weren’t confident about recognising when a pupil aged 9-11 might be experiencing a mental health problem. Nevertheless more than seven in 10 said they felt their school was doing a good job at promoting their pupils’ wellbeing.

Theresa May has promised to prioritise addressing mental health issues during her premiership, describing it in her one of her keynote speeches as a “burning injustice”.

With child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) under intense pressure, schools are increasingly expected to play a role in identifying children who are at risk of mental ill-health and intervening early to support them.

Sept 20, 2017, WKBT TV, LaCrosse, WI: Northside Elementary aims to become a 'trauma-informed' school

Many kids in the area go through problems at home that can affect how they do in the classroom. Now one local school is hoping to learn how to better serve those kids.

Northside Elementary in La Crosse is receiving multiple grants to help turn itself into a trauma-informed school.

With the funding, the school will look at the ways they currently handle situations with kids who may be going through a hard time at home and come up with more effective ways to help them.

Sept 20, 2017, Chalkbeat: What a dearth of teachers means for a school in a one-stoplight Colorado town

…Officials believe a variety of factors are contributing to the shortage. The profession perceives that it is undervalued, and the pay in many communities does not cover basic costs of living. And as poverty rises, the scope of the job is expanding; students are coming to school with more trauma that educators must mitigate before they can even begin to teach phonics or subtraction.

Sept 20, 2017 Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Dal News: Helping Teachers Address Mental Health in Their Classrooms

There are growing demands on teachers to meet the needs of students with mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders in their classrooms. However, most teachers report that they do not have adequate training for this.

Teacher Helps developed at Dalhousie, is a potential solution. It’s an eHealth professional development program that assists classroom teachers in providing evidence-based interventions to students in grades 1 to 12 with mental health disorders in the typical classroom setting. …

Focusing on neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Learning Disabilities (LD), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this program has the potential to directly benefit Canadian children and youth.

Teacher Help will promote positive belief systems toward students with NDDs by increasing teachers’ mental health literacy and knowledge about NDDs. By supporting teachers in developing and implementing evidence-based interventions in the classroom, the goal is to increase students’ social-emotional, learning, and behavioural success throughout the school system.

Sept 20, 2017, The Hutchinson (KS) News: Speaker to focus on effects of childhood trauma

Understanding the effects of childhood trauma on student performance in school will be part of the discussion when guest speaker Jim Sporleder, a retired high school principal from Walla Walla, Washington, visits Oct. 12 in Hutchinson.

Sept 20, 2017, West Hawaii Today: Special education services eyed for improvement

…One specific outstanding question, she added, was how schools are going to address the behavioral needs of special needs students, saying punishing students for behaviors that manifest themselves as a result of a disability isn’t the answer. She said when staff punish behavior instead of consider what the behavior is expressing, it just makes everything worse. …

Sept 20, 2017, Dundee, Scotland, Sunday Post: Study finds one in four girls aged 14 has depression

ALMOST one in four teenage girls are depressed, researchers have found.

Experts found that 24% of 14-year-old girls and 9% of boys the same age are depressed. …

“In other research, we’ve highlighted the increasing mental health difficulties faced by girls today compared to previous generations and this study further highlights the worryingly high rates of depression,” said lead author Dr Praveetha Patalay. …

“With a quarter of 14-year-old girls showing signs of depression, it’s now beyond doubt that this problem is reaching crisis point….

“Difficult experiences in childhood, including bereavement, domestic violence or neglect, can also have a serious impact, often several years down the line.  …

 “As a society, we also need to do far more to prevent mental health problems from developing in the first place. To start with, we need to rebalance our education system, so that schools are able to prioritise wellbeing and not just exam results.”

Sept 19, 2017, Logan, UT, Cache Valley Daily: Local group studying childhood trauma

When the Northern Utah Trauma Resiliency Coalition was formed in the spring its three principles said the goal was to prevent childhood trauma from happening whenever possible through increased awareness and support, and to buffer the impact when it does occur. …

Dr. Jump-Norman defines an adverse childhood experience.

“It might be something as simple as experiencing a divorce, for example,” she said. “Having a separation from a parent is very stressful for children. And we know that children recover from those things, right? Especially with the support of their parents, who are going through that difficult situation.” …

During quarterly meetings, the next one is in November, the group is working to increase its knowledge of adverse childhood experiences and developing work groups to begin to move to action.

Sept 19, 2017, Lima, OH online: Ada schools trains in mental health first aid

Ninety three staff members from Ada Exempted Village School District participated in Youth Mental Health First Aid Training on Monday.

The course was facilitated by the Partnership for Violence Free Families. The training is an eight-hour course, for adults to better understand the developing mental challenges of children 13 to 18 years old….

Sept 19, 2017, Eden Prairie (MN) Current: Back to school: Practical tips for kids with mental health disabilities

For many kids, going to back to school means making new friends, learning and growing. But for kids who have a mental health disability, going back to school comes with some unique challenges.

Not only do they have to navigate the regular stuff – like new classrooms and new rules – but they also have to manage their mental health symptoms, which can be overwhelming for both kids and their parents or caregivers.

Sept 19, 2017, Huron (SD) Plainsman: School notes

This year our building staff is working together to “bulk up” the essential instruction of grade-level academic and behavior standards that prompt every child to learn at high levels. Our staff was trained in “Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools” to help students feel safe, be connected, get regulated and learn.   Students work together with teachers and staff to practice and demonstrate positive behaviors with a program called PBIS — Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports. 

Sept 18, 2017, Mansfield (OH) News Journal: How Mansfield's Malabar school earned A's for progress

….Most students at Malabar Intermediate School made more than a year's worth of gains last school year, according to the results of the school's state report card. 

Because so many of Malabar's students deal with death in the family, divorce, alcohol or drug abuse or other abuses at home, the school invites experts on childhood trauma to speak to teachers and outline strategies they can use to help students cope.

It also has an advocacy team of more than a dozen teachers and paraprofessionals who are paired with at-risk students to help them navigate any issues they may be having that interfere with their ability to learn and succeed in the classroom.

Sept 18, 2017, Kalispell, MT, Daily Inter Lake: Bigfork to Offer Program for Emotionally Distressed Youth

A specialized education program for emotionally distressed youth opened at Bigfork Elementary School early this month. A team of three educators from Intermountain, a nonprofit agency specializing in child and family therapy, will run the day treatment program on campus — a first for the Helena-based company.

The Intermountain staff will include a therapist, teacher and mental health school specialist, who will teach academics as well as social skills over the course of the school day. The program caters to students who may be emotionally disturbed, have experienced some type of abuse, are transitioning into a new family or aren’t able to work well with their peers.

… “The difference with this program is that they get to remain in their home school, but they’re in a classroom that has trained professionals all day long, as opposed to parts of the day.”…

“We don’t know what these kids are coming to school with — what happened the night before or that morning,” said Intermountain teacher Amber Johnston.

They’ll have academic lessons in the morning and a group therapy session in the afternoon.…

If a student does experience an outburst, they’ll have access to a sensory room which is stocked with a number of items for self-soothing such as a hanging swing, a tent and exercise balls.

Sept 18, 2017, KVOA-TV, Tucson: 4 Your Health: Schools not equipped for serious health issues

Many parents are not confident that their child's school is equipped to handle serious health issues.

That's according to a poll from the New University Of Michigan.

While most parents were believed the schools could provide first aid for cuts, scrapes, and other minor issues, they were less certain about a school's ability to respond to an emergency, like an asthma attack.

And only 38 percent were convinced schools could help a student with a mental health problem.

Sept 18, 2017, Edwardsville (IL) Intelligencer: Mental health on campuses requires more attention  

The problem of college students with mental health issues is not new, but the ramifications of this oftentimes hidden issue is becoming more and more acute for those of us who work on campuses. And while there hasn’t been a major violent situation lately – such as the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre – we all sense that mental health issues represent a ticking bomb at the nation’s colleges and universities.

The National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency headquartered in Washington, D.C., has just released a report titled, “Mental Health on College Campuses: Investments, Accommodations Needed to Address Student Needs.” The report constitutes an immediate call to action. …

The percentage of college students seeking support for mental health issues at all levels is increasing, and that most campuses are not responding appropriately to their needs. This lack of resources impacts students’ ability to succeed in college.

Sept 17, 2017, Oskaloosa (IA) Herald: Behavior specialist talks to board

Take Action Consulting CEO Rozanne Warder, who was hired by the Oskaloosa Community School District to aid with the student behavior issues within the district, said it’s been hard work but a lot of fun for her and that things are going well. …

 “We have a specific population of kids with extremely challenging behaviors. I am certain that most of those behaviors of those few children are precipitated by children with early childhood trauma,” she said. “And so what happens is instead of consequencing or fixing behavior, sometimes when they’re in that cycle of being triggered, we often have to figure out what our contingency plans and how do we keep people safe and keep them in school.”

Warder said she will be meeting with the school’s social/emotional intervention team which is made up of teachers at the middle school, as well as Area Education Agency and partners in the community.

Sept 17, 2017, New Zealand Stuff: Mental health intervention for preschoolers could be the answer to our high suicide

Parents of preschool children will soon be able to assess their mental health with a new app being developed by psychologists….

The project aims to reduce New Zealand's high youth suicide rates, with thirteen children between 10 and 14 taking their own lives last year, according to figures released by the chief coroner. 

Mental health has become a major issue in the general election with Labour promising to set up an inquiry in their first 100 days in office, while National pledged an extra $224 million over four years in its 2017 Budget. …

When George was five, educational psychologists flagged him having strong dyslexic tendencies. His parents forced a referral to the Kari Centre, Auckland District Health Board's paediatric mental health service, but by the time the referral came through George was too old to take part in their early intervention programme.

He was finally diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) dyslexia and anxiety at age seven. …

Instead of waiting for things to hit crisis-point, Merry believes parents should be able to access advice and treatment themselves. …

Fifty per cent of mental health conditions start before the age of 12 — without the work of researchers like Merry, "parents are going it alone", she added. …

Sept 16, 2017, Khaleej Times UAE: Kids as young as three at risk of depression

Depression can start as early as kindergarten and so be "aware of red flags that trigger child depression", according to doctors. …

He noted that depression among children is so common that a US study found that it can start in children as young as three to five.

"The study revealed that depression is in 0.5 per cent in children ages 3-5 years and 1.5 per cent in children ages 6-12, and 3.5 per cent from 12-17 years. It is common in both male and female, but usually more common in female by almost double the number after puberty, but pre-puberty it is exactly the opposite." …

"There's a lot of risk factors, including family history of anxiety, family disruption and exposure to early abuse or neglect, which is common. …

Dr Matlik said other risk factors include substance abuse, psychiatric diseases, autism, and any history of trauma to the brain. …

"Today, more children are being diagnosed with depression or anxiety, but the main diagnoses with children remains as learning disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)."

Sept 15, 2017, Marble Falls (TX) Daily Tribune: Phoenix Center Marble Falls ISD  expand partnership through mental health care services

Phoenix Center and the Marble Falls Independent School District are partnering to meet the needs of children who have experienced trauma. The two will do this through implementing and expanding school-based programs and initiatives.

The partnership, which started in the fall of 2015, reflects nationwide efforts for schools to be trauma-informed to meet the complex and special needs of children who have experienced trauma. …

According to a survey by National Survey of Children’s Health, nearly half of children in the United States have experienced one or more types of serious childhood trauma — 34,825,978 children nationwide. …

Decades of research proves trauma can negatively affect brain development, impacting how a child learns, grows, and connects with others. …Children who have experienced trauma present unique and complex challenges for educators, school faculty, and other students.

Sept 15, 2017, Falmouth (MA) Enterprise: Falmouth School District Forges Mental Health Partnership

This school year, Falmouth Public Schools is partnering with McLean Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Belmont, to better meet the social and emotional needs of its students.

“It’s blending the best of the medical model into the educational model to support students in a holistic way,” said Charles A. Jodoin, director of student services.

The program is a way to keep these students in school and ready to learn, he said.

Mr. Jodoin said that in the past five years, the district has seen a great increase in mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders among students who have not previously been designated to the special education program.

Also, in many cases students are missing school due to hospitalizations for mental health reasons. …

For example, Mr. Jodoin said that the number of students hospitalized and requiring tutorial home services, which are paid for by the school district, increased 141 percent from the 2016-17 school year to 2017-18. …

In the current climate, schools are having to take this step in order to ensure that all students are ready and open to learn. If students are battling anxiety or depression, being attentive in class is a struggle. …

“I have been working with schools in a consultation role for over 15 years,” Dr. Potter said. “Over the course of the years I have noticed younger and younger kids with more severe social emotional issues.”

These conditions often manifest as disruptive behavior in class or chronic absences.

“The emotional stress is so high they cannot manage it,” Dr. Potter said.

Her colleague, Dr. Thorpe-Blaha, who specializes in treating anxiety with cognitive-behavioral therapy, said that in her work with various schools staff repeatedly say that student anxiety is the biggest struggle the schools are facing.

Researchers continue to discuss reasons why there appears to have been an increase in student anxiety, although these are highly debated, Dr. Potter said. Factors discussed can range from nutrition to technology to expectations at school.

 

Sept 15, Cortez (CO) Journal: Dolores Schools receive grant to build health clinic

After months of planning, the Dolores school district has received a grant from the Colorado Health Foundation to build an on-campus health clinic.

…The clinic will act as a satellite of the one at SWOS, and it will be open to the public, although its primary focus will be on treating students. Cooper said he still hopes to hire two more social workers to help care for students’ mental health needs, in addition to the two the district hired in June.

Sept 15, 2017, Cleveland.com: Lakewood High School to open Cleveland Clinic health center for students and staff

This fall the Lakewood City Schools plans on opening a School Based Health Center at Lakewood High School. The designated facility will provide health care services, including mental health services, to High School students and district employees.  …

"We have a psychiatrist who will be coming through for four hours a week and also a social worker that will work with students on mental health areas of need. While there are other districts offering physical health and checkups of children, the mental health piece is very innovative and very new." …

Sept 13, 2017, CBC News (Canada): Durham teachers want more special needs support, say violence rising in elementary schools

A Toronto-area teachers union has launched a campaign seeking more classroom support for special needs students after members say they've witnessed an increase in violent incidents and the need for teachers to wear protective gear.

"We're rolling out this campaign because of the dramatic increase in calls we've received and concerns that we've heard from members over the increase they've experienced of violence in their classroom," said David Mastin, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario Durham Teacher Local. …

"The bites and the scratches and the kicks and the punches — those have all happened on numerous occasions," said Mastin. "The worst example is one of our members had their head smashed against a desk by a student. They were off for a number of weeks, not just to recover physically but also psychologically."

In order to help teachers protect themselves, the Durham District School Board (DDSB) provides teachers with protective gear like jackets with Kevlar-like inserts. 

The gear includes arm and leg guards. The "hoodie" includes an arm- and head-covering. In most cases, teachers are required to wear it while for others it is optional. 

Mastin says six per cent of those who responded to ETFO Durham's survey said they were required to wear the gear. 

The teacher, who didn't want her identity revealed because she's concerned it may affect her employment status, told CBC Toronto that a lot of the violence she sees in her classroom has to do with various special needs that students have. 

"It's not personal at all," she said. "I think that's hard for a lot of people to wrap their head around. [Special needs students] are struggling with their own needs and issues, and we just happen to be there."

Sept 12, 2017, Wichita Falls, TX, NBC 3: Documentary highlights childhood trauma

If you think back to your childhood, memories of ice cream cones or skipping rope may come to mind, but not all children have such wonderful experiences.

A documentary reveals traumatic events early on can not only affect a child's behavior but their developing brain and can even cause serious health problems later in life. The film stated a child who suffers serious trauma is twice as likely to suffer from heart disease. 

Many face traumatic events at a very early age….

Saenz finished by saying, "the population that we serve have had a lot of traumas in some cases and I just feel like being able to come and see what information is out there, I might be able to take something back that's going to further be able to help me help others." 

Which is exactly what the North Texas Area United Way hopes this documentary does for many Texomans, arm them with more knowledge on how sometimes even the smallest things in life can have a big and long lasting effect, and that even though you can't change a child's past, you can sure help them have a much brighter future.

Sept 10, 2017, Maui News: ‘You are not alone’—Dealing with ‘challenging behavior’ was topic for 52 early childhood professionals

Screaming, hitting, kicking, biting. Dealing with a defiant child — especially in the throes of a meltdown — can be challenging, to say the least. Even so, it’s not an impossible feat, assured early childhood consultant and trainer Barb O’Neill.

“I know it can be frustrating, even discouraging, but you are not alone if you’re struggling with challenging behavior,” she said. …

“Challenging behavior” can run the gamut from temper tantrums and noncompliance to more aggressive or self-injurious behavior that can endanger a child as well as his or her classmates, explained Imua Family Services Program Director Bobbie-Jo Moniz-Tadeo. …

O’Neill’s message extends far beyond the preschool classroom. According to a 2016 Yale University study, pre-schoolers are expelled at three times the rate of K-12 students because of challenging behaviors like aggression, tantrums and noncompliance.

Sept 9, 2017, Auckland (New Zealand) Newshub: Call for doubling of counsellor numbers in schools
Currently, Kiwi schools have a ratio of around one counsellor per 800 students. President Bev Weber says it should be doubled to one counsellor for every 400 students.

"That's going to be beneficial to the students, because it means the school guidance counsellor is able to work more in-depth with that number of children - rather than trying to spread themselves thinly to help everybody."

She wants New Zealanders to start treating their mental health the same as their physical health.

Sept 8, 2017, Fort Atkinson (WI) Daily Union: District starts ‘Trauma Informed Schools’ initiative

…But what if a young person lives in a traumatic environment, where he or she doesn’t get the basic supports needed to develop, and where he or she can’t rely on adults to be there for them?

Is it any surprise that repeated traumatic experiences change the brain and create different pathways in terms of how youngsters respond to everyday challenges?

The School District of Jefferson has embarked on a new “Trauma Informed Schools” initiative to help educators and other school staffers understand how best to draw out students who have developed defensive behaviors due to repeated trauma in their lives….

Rifken, a clinical psychologist working with Community Care Resources and Programs, Middleton, has been focusing on the issue for many years. She shared current research with all Jefferson school staffers during a presentation held in their first week back at school, before the students were to arrive.

Rifken talked about what happens to the brain and what happens to behavior when people experience traumatic stress. …

The psychologist said her foster care agency always has worked very closely with the schools, as well as with families and with foster families.

“We found that most of our youth have suffered chronic traumatic stress,” she said. They might come from homes dealing with addiction, abuse, food security and other issues caused by poverty….

Rifken said that as a young child develops, normal “serve and return” interactions are necessary to build brain pathways. That’s like a conversation. A baby babbles and its mom or dad responds with words and care. If that doesn’t happen — as when a child is “raised by the television” or other electronics, the brain doesn’t develop the same way.

Trauma can occur prenatally if a child’s environment in the womb is stressed. It can occur in infancy if they aren’t reliably fed, diapered and touched in a loving manner. It can happen in the preschool years if they don’t feel safe in their home or neighborhood. It can occur in elementary school, expressing itself in worries over friends, teachers, and feeling appreciated.

Other effects of traumatic stress teachers can see in students include: short attention span, easy distractability, lots of movement, a strong bias toward seeing others as “out to get them,” swift reactivity to small problems, and the perception of small problems as being bigger than they are.

She said it takes a long time to help stressed youth calm down and re-regulate.

Sept 8, 2017 VPT: Vermont Lawmakers Examining How The State Addresses Childhood Trauma

As research shows an increasingly powerful correlation between childhood trauma and addiction, incarceration and even early death, a new legislative panel is trying to improve the state’s response to the issue.

It’s been nearly 20 years since a landmark study quantified the long-term impact of childhood traumas, but not everybody thinks the social science has gotten the spotlight it deserves.

“Bottom line, what we’re trying to do is help spread the word so more people know about this, and we can build more support for better treatments of this,” says Putney Rep. Mike Mrowicki. …

 “Research is showing that the effects of childhood trauma can be what’s driving the populations in special education, childhood health problems, adult chronic care, addiction, mental health and our prison populations,” Mrowicki says.

The sad reality here is the fact that no one can challenge the claim that dysfunctional children struggling to survive in our schools are the result of what’s happening at home. Experts like doctors and health officials are all talking about it. It’s an easy-to-accept explanation. If we just do something for the children suffering from trauma, everything’s going to be fine.

The claim that cold, uncaring mothers caused autism in children was talked about for 20 years in academic and medical circles. Your guess is as good as mine how long this one will be around.

Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.