It should come as no surprise to many that children that are born into a life of poverty may not be the healthiest of kids; or is that a surprise? Everyone has their own opinion of course, but there will always be cases where children of privileged lifestyles are incredibly unhealthy, and vice versa.
US News provided studies that are suggesting that poverty attributes to health and development in our youth. Some 3.9 million young children are living in poverty, and are defined by the family income standard of falling under the 50% federal poverty line. There are two categories of concern; kids that are poor, and kids that are living day to day in deep poverty. The research showed that deeply poor youth were more likely to be obese, and possessed three times that regular limit in their blood. High levels of lead within the blood stream are linked to learning and behavior challenges.
Poverty level can also be correlated to parents having poor health, or even mental health issues, causing more concern for these families and their educators. These children lacked in social support or having a sense of community where they reside; and the list can go on and on. Is there are way to help this huge group of millions of American children to advance their development and health?
Experts believe by expanding Medicaid to every state and utilizing Temporary Aid to Needy Families that would be a great start. These programs have been well known to help families thrive even during the most incredibly financial challenges. Local charities are also great starting points to help any families you may know could use support:
- Freedom From Hunger
- Catholic Charities USA
- Food for the Poor
- Children’s Health Fund
- Feeding America
Some charities are super helpful in guiding families to not only get through the current challenges they may be fighting, but to also learn tips to steer clear of poverty for good.