Future Children Health Issues

Several years after the initiation of national goals set in Healthy People 2010 to eliminate health disparities by 2010, the continuing disparities in illness and death experienced by minorities and the poor, including their children, remain a major obstacle to improving the nation’s health. For children, the impact of conditions such as lead poisoning on cognitive and physical development can affect them throughout their lives. Due to the long lasting impact of childhood conditions, reducing health disparities among children is key to improving the well being of all children and, by extension, the nation as a whole.

Our success in reducing health disparities among children will not only lessen future health care costs, but will also improve the nation’s productivity. It is easy for parents to identify a child’s physical needs–nutritious and balanced meals; adequate shelter and clothing; sufficient rest and physical activity; immunizations; and a healthy living environment. However, a child’s mental and emotional needs may not be as obvious. Good mental health allows children to think clearly, develop socially, learn new skills, build self-esteem, and develop a positive mental outlook.