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Medical expert says 'the ideal solution will be to keep these individuals with their family'

"So the ideal solution will be to keep these individuals with their family members but if not it is going to be both long and costly for society."

The American Academy of Pediatrics has called the practice of taking the children child abuse.

The American Psychological Association cited "empirical evidence of the psychological harm children and parents experience when separated."

Investigative reporter Lilia Luciano explores what those concerns mean, not just for the children’s immediate well-being, but their long term psychological and physical well-being. That's why we went to UC Davis to talk to Murat Pakyurek, Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiarty, who says sudden separation of children from their parents, either one or both parents, will be traumatic to the child.

“Children who experience adverse life events and experiences tend to have chronic mental health and even physical health problems including anxiety depression and post-traumatic stress disorder," Pakyurek said.

And the longer children remain without their parents, the impact level of trauma grows.

"The main protective layer or factor is the presence of the presence of their parents," Pakyurek said. "So when you remove that parental support or protective factor they will be more exposed to trauma and the adverse reactions."

What could the long term symptoms and treatment look like for these children?

"When you have developed these conditions such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder, they will require, in certain cases, long-term treatment, including individual therapy, group support, social systems supporting them, and as well as medication management, in certain cases," Pakyurek said. "So the ideal solution will be to keep these individuals with their family members but if not it is going to be both long and costly for society."

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