PACE SCOREs, Explained
Our past may have shaped us, but it can also reshape us.
Positive & Adverse Childhood Experiences or PACE scores are a way of measuring the impact of traumatic childhood experiences.
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Research has shown that higher Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE scores) are associated with a significantly greater risk of negative physical, mental and social health outcomes in adulthood.
Whereas Positive Childhood Experiences (PCE scores) promote safe, stable and nurturing relationships and are associated with greater positive outcomes later in life.
PCE scores have the potential to negate the detrimental effects from high ACE scores. We cannot change what’s happened in our past or think out way out of it. We can however, through a somatic mind and body approach, change our relationship with, and the meaning we give to it.
As part of our trauma informed framework, we will work with you to evaluate your PACE scores to see how your experiences have shaped the state of your nervous system and impacted the structures, behaviours and perceptions of your body and your life.
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NetworkSpinal is a framework that allows us to assess stress patterns in a person’s nervous system and precisely examine their level of adaptability or overwhelm at any given moment.
We evaluate a person’s chemical, physical and emotional stressors, both past and present, showing us the unique history of Fight-or-Flight and Rest-and-Repair in their body.
This reveals more than just the physical state of someone's health, and tells us how they are participating with life on a mental, emotional, social and energetic level.
Trauma fundamentally affects someone's nervous system and the way they experience, react to and engage with their world, often leaving long standing marks.
As part of our trauma informed framework, we will work with you to evaluate your PACE scores (Positive & Adverse Childhood Experiences) to see how your experiences have shaped the state of your nervous system and impacted the structures, behaviours and perceptions of your body and your life.
NetworkSpinal can be a powerful way to help change the state of someone's nervous system.
When the brain and body are more connected and coherent, the nervous system exhibits greater levels of resilience, adaptability and energy efficiency. The armouring, protection and hyper-vigilance that trauma brings can begin to diffuse and become integrated into the system as a learning experience, changing a person's relationship to it.
What a person had previously experienced as a wound then has the potential to be experienced as a gift, often inspiring others around them along the way.
↓ Scroll down for presentation, QnA and self evaluation questionnaire.
PACE SCORE PRESENTATION
Preventative & Adverse Childhood Experiences and your health.
If you feel unsafe, or require phone support, please contact LifeLine on 13 11 14
↓Scroll down for QnA and self evaluation questionnaire.
COMMON QUESTIONS
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NetworkSpinal is a framework that allows us to assess stress patterns in a person’s nervous system and precisely examine their level of adaptability or overwhelm at any given moment.
We evaluate a person’s chemical, physical and emotional stressors, both past and present, showing us the unique history of Fight-or-Flight and Rest-and-Repair in their body.
This reveals more than just the physical state of someone's health, and tells us how they are participating with life on a mental, emotional, social and energetic level.
Trauma fundamentally affects someone's nervous system and the way they experience, react to and engage with their world, often leaving long standing marks.
As part of our trauma informed framework, we will work with you to evaluate your PACE scores (Positive & Adverse Childhood Experiences) to see how your experiences have shaped the state of your nervous system and impacted the structures, behaviours and perceptions of your body and your life.
NetworkSpinal can be a powerful way to help change the state of someone's nervous system.
When the brain and body are more connected and coherent, the nervous system exhibits greater levels of resilience, adaptability and energy efficiency. The armouring, protection and hyper-vigilance that trauma brings can begin to diffuse and become integrated into the system as a learning experience, changing a person's relationship to it.
What a person had previously experienced as a wound then has the potential to be experienced as a gift, often inspiring others around them along the way.
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Yes. NetworkSpinal is gentle, non-invasive and perfectly safe for newborns, children, adults and seniors.
During childhood, the nervous system is incredibly adaptable and responsive to input as neurological patterns are being established through neuroplasticity. The brain lays down many neural pathways as a child interacts with their environment, and then consistently prunes off any pathways that are no longer used.
Excessive physical, chemical (including nutrient deficiencies) or emotional stress a child sustains will reinforce Fight-or-Flight pathways as learned neuro-behavioural patterns.
See above for PACE score presentation.This is precisely why stress in these formative years has a lifelong impact on health expression, behaviour and illness rates.
NetworkSpinal can help regulate a child's nervous system through these crucial years of development.
Chiropractors are trained to assess developmental milestones in children and are often sought after by parents.
The results of the largest and most robust inquiry in Australia to date (found here) involving 21,874 submissions revealed:
98% of parents reported chiropractic helping their child.
99.7% of parents having positive experiences.
Zero cases of harm reported.
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As we are establishing greater awareness within your body, in the process of your nervous system finding areas of tension and unwinding those patterns, it can reconnect to certain experiences and sensations it had previously compartmentalised and disconnected from.
In these moments we can often re-experience an emotion or feeling we hadn't let ourselves fully experience at the time an event occurred. This is a natural phenomenon throughout the healing process called retracing. Retracing is expected, temporary and a good sign that energy is moving and connection is being made.
Emotion means “energy-in-motion”, and its purpose is to compel us to take action.
Research within this field was conducted by the renowned neuroscientist Candace B. Pert, a Nobel Prize nominee who’s book Molecules of Emotion explores the link between emotions and the mind-body connection.
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NetworkSpinal has demonstrated positive outcomes for improving HRV (Heart-Rate Variability), which is a gold standard measure of nervous system stress. Because of the strong correlation between HRV, vagus nerve tone and the parasympathetic (Rest-and-Repair) nervous system, NetworkSpinal can play a big part in regulating healthy vagal tone.
In fact, within SRI as part of your NetworkSpinal care, we focus on specific branches of the vagus nerve, using hand positions, movement and focus to enhance connection and regulation.
A healthy vagus nerve (or healthy vagal tone) regulates cardiac, digestive and immune function. In order to have healthy vagal tone, the body needs to be able to engage its natural Rest-and-Repair state.
Stress, trauma and other nervous system overwhelm can engage the sympathetic Fight-or-Flight state for long periods of time, inhibiting the Rest-and-Repair functions.
NetworkSpinal can assist the body to naturally move from Fight-or-Flight into Rest-and-Repair, meaning healthier vagal tone, HRV, cardiac function, immune regulation and digestive function.
NetworkSpinal and HRV research can be found here.
Further chiropractic and HRV research can be found in article one and article two.
SELF EVALUATION, at your own “PACE”
Complete the below self evaluation and receive a $40 voucher for yourself or someone you know.
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Every answer of “yes” is one point towards your ACE score.🟡 1. Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often... Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you?... or act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?
🟡 2. Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often... Push, grab, slap, or throw something at you?... or ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?
🟡 3. Did an adult or person at least 5 years older than you ever... touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way?... or attempt or actually have intercourse with you?
🟡 4. Did you often or very often feel that ... no one in your family loved you, thought you were important / special, or made regular time for you?... or, your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close, or support each other?
🟡 5. Did a parent or caregiver often or very often... make themselves the focus of many situations? Required everything to be done their way?... or demand respect from you, or use guilt or manipulation in your relationship?
🟡 6. Did you often or very often feel that ... you didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you?... or Your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?
🟡 7. Did you daily, or multiple times a week... eat; processed, highly processed, sugary, or takeaway food of any kind?
🟡 8. Were your parents ever separated or divorced?
🟡 9. Were your parents or stepparents often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, had something thrown at, kicked, hit, repeatedly hit or threatened with a gun or knife?
🟡 10. Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs?
🟡 11. Was a household member depressed, anxious or mentally ill (maybe requiring medication), or did a household member attempt suicide?
🟡 12. Did a household member go to prison?Please tally your total ACE score.
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Every answer of “yes” is one point towards your PCE score.
⚪️ 1. Did you feel able to talk to your family about your feelings?
⚪️ 2. Did you feel that your family stood by you during difficult times?
⚪️ 3. We're you able to access regular, good quality and nutritious food?
⚪️ 4. Were you able to enjoy participating in community traditions?
⚪️ 5. Did you feel a sense of belonging in school?
⚪️ 6. Did you have access to regular quality time with a parent or caregiver?
⚪️ 7. Did you often or very often... have access to groups or sports outside of school that you enjoyed?... or were you able to regularly see friends outside of school?
⚪️ 8. Did you feel supported by friends?
⚪️ 9. Did you have at least two non-parent adults who took genuine interest in you?
⚪️ 10. Did you feel that you could access help if you needed it?
⚪️ 11. Did you grow up in a home where extended family happily lived with you or visited often? Including grandparents, aunties, uncles or cousins?... or did you often or very often spend positive time with extended family?
⚪️ 12. Did you feel safe and protected by an adult in your home?
Please tally your total PCE score. -
If you feel unsafe, or require phone support, please contact LifeLine Australia on 13 11 14.
In totality, the measurement of PACE scores is an evaluation of the effects of toxic stress on a persons nervous system, and the resulting effects that nervous system stress will have—throughout your body and your life.
Your nervous system is important, it controls and coordinate every single system and function of your body. From the way you think, to the way you move. This is why we incorporate PACE score evaluation as part of our thorough evaluation at Seeking More, and why thousands of people worldwide seek out a NetworkSpinal approach for their nervous system health.
How to read your results:
As explained eloquently by Dr. Nadine in the presentation above, there is a dose dependant relationship between the number ACEs you have and the presence/severity of mental & physical health conditions later in life.This means with every increase in ACEs, there is an increased risk of these health conditions, despite healthy life choices such as eating well or avoiding alcohol.
The higher your PCE score, the more protected you are against ACEs.
Meaning that if you have a high ACE score, you can be protected from the effects with a high PCE score.
To evaluate your score, please press here to read about PACE scores and outcomes.
Our PACE score questionnaire at Seeking More differs by 1-2 questions from the original source material to account for other stressors — results found in the above link are still wholly relevant.
