title: Childhood toxic stress: a community role in health promotion for occupational therapists.
abstract: People who experience the toxic stress of recurrent traumatic events in childhood have a higher risk for mental and physical health problems throughout life. Occupational therapy practitioners have a remarkable opportunity to be involved in addressing this significant public health problem. As health care practitioners already situated in the community, we have a responsibility to lead and assist in establishing and implementing occupation-based programs and to nurture the links between the child welfare system and existing intervention systems. In this article, we review the current research on toxic stress and recommendations made by other health care disciplines and offer strategies for occupational therapy practitioners to begin a dialogue on this critical, emerging issue.
authors.affiliation: Meredith P. Gronski, OTD, OTR/L, is Instructor, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Program in Occupational Therapy, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, Campus Box 8505, St. Louis, MO 63110; gronskim@wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Meredith P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Gronski
authors.forename: Katherine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Bogan
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kloeckner
authors.forename: Duana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Russell-Thomas
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Taff
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berg
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D002669:Child Welfare; D005192:Family Health; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D024382:Professional Role; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*