Taking Care Of Children's Health

Children's health is an important indicator of health in later life. It is assumed to be generated by the household via a production function, and children's height is taken as an indicator of the health status.

The Journal of Children's Health is a quarterly peer-reviewed publication devoted to sharing original work regarding the unique risks to children from chemical, microbial, radiological, physical and social hazards in their environment. It is intentionally broad in scope, and presents original scientific research as well as policy and regulatory implications. "Children's health issues are fundamental to our society.

Care

Every mother-to-be and baby in the United States must have the health care they need, and the health insurance to provide for that health care. It's called the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and it provides federal money -- matched by the states -- so children can receive health care even when their parents can't afford it.

These numbers are way too high and could be lower if all expectant mothers, regardless of income, had access to high-quality health care during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Child

children are at risk of chronic illnesses. Children are most vulnerable to dioxins and other toxic chemicals. Children breathe more air, eat more food and drink morewater per pound of body weight than adults.

Children are physiologically different from adults and face different health risks.

Children's health is an important indicator of health in later life. Children's health care may not be as expensive as other priorities facing legislatures, but there is great opportunity to protect children through state action. Children whose sleep is disturbed by noise have 120% more chance of suffering from migraine than non-exposed children, and more than 90% more chance of suffering from respiratory disorders.

Environmental

Environmental and children's health advocates point to downward trends in several indicators of children's health to make the case that children are endangered by environmental contaminants.

National

National Cancer Institute (NCI) data for the periods from 1973-74 to 1994-95 show a rise in the annual incidence of all cancers in the 0 to 14 age group from 12.

The National Safe Kids Campaign reports that accidents cause approximately 246,000 hospitalizations, 8,700,000 emergency room visits, and 11,000,000 visits to physicians every year. According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, deaths due to accidents for the 14 and under age group declined 18 percent from 1987 to 1995, from 8,069 to 6,611 per year.

Disease

Among other key findings:
49 percent of parents of children ages 14 to 17 say that media have a "somewhat negative" or "very negative" effect on their child;

About 6 percent of parents report having a child with a physical, behavioral or mental condition, such as asthma or heart disease, that limits his or her participation in normal childhood activities, and those parents say their children fare worse on a range of issues;

16 percent of parents with children ages 3 to 5 say that the child worries "somewhat" or "very much" about family conflict, and that figure rises to 33 percent for preteens (ages 9 to 13) and 31 percent for teens;

One in 10 parents of a preteen is "very concerned" that his or her child may be depressed, and another 12 percent of preteens' parents are "somewhat concerned";

59 percent of Latino parents report that their child's physical health is "excellent," compared to 67 percent of Asian parents and 79 percent of Caucasians parents;

The percentage of parents reporting that their child has a "very positive" attitude toward school declines from 72 percent for parents of 6-to-8-year-olds to 50 percent for parents of children ages 14-17;

28 percent of parents say they do not spend enough time together as a family; 6 percent say they spend too much;

15 percent of African American parent respondents say they are "very concerned" about their child's weight, more than any other racial/ethnic group.

The good news is that new technologies and drug treatments are allowing children with once fatal diseases such as cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, spina bifida and congenital heart defects to survive into adulthood. "We know that providing access to care for every child can help to prevent obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Friday, May 04, 2007Children's health is a public responsibility. One of the most severe threats to children's health is lead poisoning; in old dwellings, lead is found in paint or solder for pipes. "We must act to assure that our children's health is not at risk," said AAP President Carol Berkowitz, MD, FAAP.

Your children's health is our main concern.