The far-reaching consequences of child abuse

Adverse childhood experiences in mothers can affect their children’s mental and physical health, as researchers from Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin now report in the journal The Lancet Public Health. The study found that maltreatment during a mother’s childhood is associated with a higher risk of health problems such as asthma, autism, and depression in the next generation. Early intervention to support affected mothers might help to counter this effect.