Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

The state in which I live: Michigan Average

How many children live in poverty?[3]

Children represent a disproportionate share of the poor in the United States; they are 24 percent of the total population, but 36 percent of the poor population. In 2010, 16.4 million children, or 22.0 percent, were poor. The poverty rate for children also varies substantially by race and Hispanic origin, as shown in the table below[4].

Children Under 18 Living in Poverty, 2010
Category	Number (in thousands)	Percent
All children under 18	16, 401	22.0
White only, non-Hispanic	5,002	12.4
Black	4,817	38.2
Hispanic	6,110	35.0
Asian	547	13.6

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010, Report P60, n. 238, Table B-2, pp. 68-73.

 The area where I work: Children below poverty level:

Lansing, Michigan:           34.4%

State:    22.1%

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/poverty/poverty-Lansing-Michigan.html#b#ixzz2D39ZadRr

The Detroit area is where I grew up. With a population of just over 700,000, 54 percent of Detroit children, 100,000 are officially living in poverty. The federal “poverty level”—a miserable $22,314 per year for a family of four—is so inadequate for modern life that Kids Count also provides the statistics for 150 percent, 200 percent and 250 percent of the poverty level, which still means an inability to meet basic needs. In fact, the official federal poverty threshold is only 30 percent of the national median household income, whereas in 1960, it was nearly 50 percent. When these more realistic numbers are taken into account, then an overwhelming majority—71 percent—of Detroit children are poor, that is living at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line. The youngest children, ages 0 to 5, are the most affected, with a full 58 percent living in families below the poverty line.

 Reference (1) http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=131#ixzz22209nQpf

KIDS COUNT Detroit (here) 

 Worldwide poverty:

Children under age 18 make up nearly 48 percent of the population of the world's least developed countries, compared with 21 percent of the population of the world's industrialized nations. http://www.compassion.com/poverty/poverty.htm

http://www.unicef.org/sowc05/Flash/photoessays/english/E_2_poverty.html

Child Development and Public Health

Immunization is the process whereby a person is made immune or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccines stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or disease.
Immunization is a proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening infectious diseases and is estimated to avert between 2 and 3 million deaths each year. It is one of the most cost-effective health investments, with proven strategies that make it accessible to even the most hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. It has clearly defined target groups; it can be delivered effectively through outreach activities; and vaccination does not require any major lifestyle change.
http://www.who.int/topics/immunization/en/

Childhood killers such as polio, whooping cough and measles are rare in developed countries. Immunizations protect from the disease as well as protects from the complication of the disease. It also protects ones that cannot be safely immunized. Children in my program need to have a physical and vaccines must be up to date before they enter preschool.

http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2942_4911_4914---,00.html

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/index.html
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/index.html

 

Childbirth In Your Life and Around the World

 My dream was to be a mother, I have been very blessed in expereincing childbirth five times. I have 5 wonderful adult children. I loved being pregnant and each experinces was different and personal. The most significant difference was my first two were delivered in a cold operating room. While the last three were delivered in "birthing rooms" which were more like being at home. My hospital built Birthing Centers at 2 of it's facilities.




In reading through the World Health Organization data and finding a Time photogallery article, I chose Afghanistan.  The Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1 per 1000 live births) is 73.Culturally young women are ashamed to discuss sex and personal issue with their Mothers.  Most babies are born at home with a midwife. It is difficult for them to find gloves, razors and needles. The war torn condition make it difficult for women to make it to hospitals or clinics as well as culturally they husbands do not like their wives to be seen by male doctors. It was nice to read of the improvements that are being made and that since 2003, more than 2700 midwives have been trained.






http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1842761_1766620,00.html
http://www.who.int/en/