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Examining the Effects of Toxic Stress and Trauma on the Mental Health of Young Children
Thursday, April 30, 2020, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM EDT
Category: Other conferences and events

Register Now!

Join the Office of Head Start (OHS) in a conversation about trauma and toxic stress and their effects on the mental health of young children. During this webinar, Dr. Sangeeta Parikshak, social science analyst at OHS, will moderate a discussion about the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACES) on the development and mental health of children from migrant agricultural families. Dr. Javier Rosado, director of clinical research for the Florida State University Center for Child Stress and Health, will provide recommendations for early childhood educators and program staff on implementing trauma-sensitive strategies to meet the needs of young children. After the presentation, Sandra Carton, program manager for Region XII, will facilitate a discussion on the topics covered during the webinar.

Topics for the webinar include:

  • Defining toxic stress
  • Identifying ACEs that have a particular impact on stress levels
  • Understanding the developmental and health effects of toxic stress
  • Recognizing the effects of toxic stress and trauma on young children from agricultural and migrant families
  • Using simple strategies to help early childhood education systems become more trauma-informed

Target Audience

  • Head Start and Early Head Start leaders and staff
  • Head Start community partners


#HeadStartHeals Campaign

Find more trauma resources and strategies through OHS's #HeadStartHeals campaign. Program managers can use these resources to design quality improvements for their programs. Direct service staff can use promoted strategies to assist the children and families they serve. In the coming weeks, we will discuss:

  • Understanding trauma-informed care in classroom settings
  • Trauma and adult mental health

Additional Resources

Understanding Stress and Resilience in Young Children: video series
Toxic stress impacts a child's health, behavior, and ability to learn. These videos can help programs and professionals understand what toxic stress is, what it does to a person, and prevention strategies.


Contact: Send your trauma-related questions or comments to [email protected].