Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
How Does American Children's Health Compare in the Global Arena
How do our children rank in comparison with other countries? According to statistics collected by the Children’s Defense Fund, children in America lag behind almost all industrialized nations on key child indicators. The United States has the unwanted distinction of being the worst among industrialized nations in relative child poverty, in the gap between rich and poor, in teen birth rates, and in child gun violence, and first in the number of incarcerated persons. Unfortunately, these statistics could get worse because child poverty is influenced by the economy and in this recession, we could see these numbers increase.
“It is a national disgrace that the richest nation on earth lets every sixth child live in poverty,” CDF President Marian Wright Edelman said in a press release. “Our poor children exceed the population of all ages in the state of Illinois. The number of uninsured children exceeds the population of the country of Switzerland. We continue this neglectful waste of our precious human capital at our collective peril. We can and must do better! Investing in our children?the seed corn of our nation’s future?is key to our nation’s economic recovery and competitiveness in the global economy,” stated Mrs. Edelman.
According to the report, there are 74 million children in America, and 21 million are under the age of five. Alarmingly, one in six, or 13.3 million children in America is poor, with an income level of $20,000/year. And even worse, one in 13, or 5.8 million children, live in extreme poverty, with an income level of $10,000/year. Minority children are a majority of the child population in six states and in the District of Columbia. In 12 other states, minority children make up between 40 and 50 percent of the child population.
The CDF report indicates a total of 8.9 million children are uninsured. One in 5 Latino children and 1 in 8 Black children are uninsured, compared to 1 in 13 White children. About 1 in 12 babies born in the United States is low birthweight, with Black babies about twice as likely as White or Latino babies to be born at low birthweight. Infant mortality rates are more than twice as high or Black infants as for White infants.
Another shocking statistic collected in the CDF report; more than 900,000 children were abused or neglected in 2006. Although Black children comprise 15 percent of all children, they are 32 percent of the approximate 500,000 children in foster care. More than 2.5 million grandparents are raising their grandchildren.
In 33 states and the District of Columbia, the annual cost of center-based child care for a preschooler is more than the annual tuition at a 4-year public college. Only about one-half to two-thirds of children eligible for Head Start are enrolled, and only about 3 percent of eligible infants and young children are enrolled in Early Head Start. More than half the children participating in the School Lunch Program more than 17 million children?receive free or reduced-price meals. The 8 million children in the School Breakfast Program who received free or reduced-price meals—4 out of 5 participants—are the neediest children. Yet the Summer Food Service Program, an entitlement targeted at these children, served fewer than 2 million children, showing that needy children are not receiving this important assistance during the summer months.
The CDF report indicates that not only are America’s children suffering from poverty and lack of adequate health care, but many children are at risk for additional problems associated with these conditions. White, Black and Latino teens are about equally likely to use drugs, but Black juveniles are twice as likely as their White peers to be arrested for drug offenses and more than five times as likely to be incarcerated for drug offenses as White teens. 3,006 children and teens were killed by firearms in 2005, the equivalent of 120 public school classrooms of 25 students each. Another 16,000 children and teens suffered non-fatal firearm injuries. During the summer months, fewer than half of older teens have jobs.
And America is not on record supporting the rights of children. The United States and Somalia (which has no legally constituted government) are the only two United Nations members that have failed to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.
For over 30 years Kiley Law Group, located in Andover and Boston, Massachusetts, has fought on behalf of children. Our Boston child injury lawyers take time when speaking with you about your child's accident and injuries. Kiley Law Group works with you on a contingency basis, which means there are NO FEES unless our trained child injury attorneys win your case. Contact us today for a FREE legal consultation – (888) 208-1695
