Playgrounds, red balloons, lollipops, sandcastles on the beach and jump ropes are just some of the images that come to mind when you think of a happy childhood. Many people grow up with curiosity, play and the building of foundational memories that shape who they become. From learning to ride a bike to reading a favorite bedtime story, childhood is a blend of growth, wonder and simplicity.

However, for some people, childhood isn’t always filled with carefree moments and laughter. Early life stress—family issues, food insecurity, physical abuse, being yelled at often and many other negative experiences—is very common. About 64% of people living in the U.S. have experienced at least one type of early life stress before they turn 18.

This type of childhood trauma creates ripple effects. Imagine early life stress events are like rocks being thrown into the water. One rock creates ripples stretching far across the water. Even though early life stress happens in childhood, this stress actually affects health later in life, creating waves of issues.

Early life stress increases your risks for heart disease and risk of autoimmune disease, such as diabetes and lupus. Childhood stress doesn’t cause these diseases, but it makes it more likely to happen. Researchers have shown that people with four or more early life stressors have more heart health risks compared to those with no early stress.

How do these waves of health issues happen from ripples? Well, early life stress can trigger a string of physiological responses (such as epigenetic changes) and a hyperactive stress response (such as increased heart rates) or hormonal changes that affect our health later in life.

Researchers have also shown that the aorta—the biggest artery in the body that’s connected to the heart—is stiffer in people with early life stress. This high stiffness has been linked to future heart and kidney issues. Aortic stiffness can contribute to hypertension, atherosclerosis and stroke. It may also make inflammation and heart issues associated with autoimmune diseases worse.

It is important for scientists to understand the ways in which early life stress affects the body so that we can reverse it or better treat people with early life stress and diseases. While this type of research is being done, the best way to prevent these ripple effects is to stop early life stress. Creating safe spaces, trusted relationships and environments that help protect kids from violence can help stop these ripples from becoming waves.