Early childhood trauma Early childhood trauma includes physical, sexual, and psychological abuse of a child from birth to five years old. Trauma in early childhood has an extreme impact over the course of a lifetime and is a significant contributor to infant mortality. Developing organs are fragile, when an infant is shaken, beaten, strangled, or raped, the impact is exponentially more destructive than when the same abuse occurs to a fully developed body. Studies estimate that 1–2 per 100,000 U.S. children are fatally injured annually, and it is reasonable to assume that these statistics underrepresent actual mortality. Almost three-quarters (70.6%) of child fatalities in FFY 2018 involved children younger than 3 years, and children younger than 1 year accounted for half (49.4%) of all fatalities. In particular, correctly identifying deaths due to neglect is problematic, and children with sudden, unexpected deaths or deaths from apparently unintentional causes often have preventable risk factors that are substantially similar to those in families with maltreatment.
earlY childhood TRAUma eaRly chilDhooD trauma includEs phySical, sExuAl, aNd psyChOLOGiCAl abuse of A chIld from bIRth to five yeaRs oLD. Trauma IN earLy cHilDhOOD HAs aN ExTREmE impacT ovEr THe cOurse oF a Lifetime and is a signIfIcant cOnTribUtor to infAnt MORtAliTy. devELoPiNg oRgans are FRaGiLe, WHeN an iNfant is shakEn, BeAtEn, STranGlEd, or rapeD, tHe iMpact Is expOnentiaLLy morE desTructive than wheN the same AbuSe OccUrs to a fullY developEd bOdy. studIes esTimate that 1–2 per 100,000 u.s. children arE fatalLY injurED AnnualLy, and iT is reASonABle To ASsumE tHat ThEsE STatISticS UndERrEPreSeNT acTual mortAlity. Almost three-QUarters (70.6%) of chiLd fatalitIeS in ffy 2018 invOlVeD chILdren youNgEr THan 3 years, and children youNger Than 1 year aCcouNted for HalF (49.4%) Of aLl FatAlItieS. in pArtiCular, cORrectLy identIFying deAThs due to nEglEcT Is probleMatic, And cHIldREn WIth sudden, uNeXpecTed DEAtHs or deATHs FrOM AppareNtly unintEnTioNaL causes oFtEn hAVe prevEntablE riSk faCtorS ThaT are subStanTIALly simiLAr To tHosE in faMilIes with mAltReATmEnt.