Parents’ Abuse History Increases Risk of Developmental Delay in Children

Published April 2018 | Pediatrics

An assessment tool in which pediatricians ask parents about incidences of abuse, neglect, mental illness, violence and family dysfunction in their own childhoods is “helping connect the dots between adversity in one generation and child development in the next generation,” according to a study led by experts with the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children.

Not only can a mother’s or father’s adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase their risks for health problems, they also can increase their children’s risk for development delays in multiple domains, including problem solving, communication, personal-social and motor skills, says lead author Ted Folger, PhD.

At a pediatric practice in suburban Portland, OR, 311 mothers and 122 fathers were screened for ACEs at the child’s four-month wellness visit, with follow-up developmental assessments of children at age 2.

For each additional maternal ACE, researchers found an 18 percent increase in the risk for a suspected developmental delay in the child, with similar results for paternal ACEs.

Three or more maternal ACEs were associated with a “significantly increased risk” for delays across several developmental domains.

“A lot of good could come from these assessments,” says Folger. “This information may help pediatricians develop rapport with the families, help parents understand risks within the family, and help pediatricians refer families to community and other resources to prevent developmental delay.”

Services might include child learning centers, mental health screening, home visiting programs and substance abuse services.

Further research is needed to explore the psychosocial and biological mechanisms of intergenerational risk, according to Folger, but “pediatricians may be motivated to start thinking about how they address trauma in their practices.”