Obstacles Children
Face
By: Kelcey Kiehn, Meagan Kappen,
Jared Miller, Kristen Allen
Children and Hunger in
America• Good nutrition, particularly in the first three years of life, is important for
establishing a good foundation that has implications for a child’s future physical and mental health, academic achievement, and economic productivity. Unfortunately, food insecurity is an obstacle that threatens that critical foundation.
• 15.8 million children lived in food-insecure households in 2012.
• 20 percent or more of the child population in 37 states and D.C. lived in food-insecure households in 2012, according to the most recent data available.
http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/child-hunger/child-hunger-fact-sheet.html
Food Insecurity and Children
• Food insecurity—the limited or uncertain availability of
nutritionally adequate and safe food— exists in 17.2 million
households in America, 3.9 million of them with children.
• 25 % of households with children living in large cities are
food-insecure.
• 9% of food-insecure households reported that in the previous
month they had participated in one or more of the three
largest federal food and nutrition assistance programs: SNAP
(formerly food stamps), School Lunch and WIC.
http://www.nokidhungry.org/problem/hunger-facts
World Wide Child Hunger
• By treating malnutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child's life, UNICEF has helped cut the number of children badly affected by stunting by nearly 100 million since 1990.
• Founded in 1946, UNICEF has always put children first, helping to save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization. UNICEF cares about making the world better for kids.
• Malnutrition is linked to nearly half of all childhood deaths. Children who are malnourished are smaller, more likely to get very sick from ordinary infections and their brain development can suffer.
• http://www.unicefusa.org/mission/survival/nutrition?gclid=CNbv2724-MECFQVffgodbYgAHA
Hunger Kills
• Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children
under five - 3.1 million children each year.
• 66 million primary school-age children attend classes
hungry across the developing world, with 23 million in Africa
alone.
• One out of six children -- roughly 100 million -- in developing
countries is underweight.
• WFP calculates that US$3.2 billion is needed per year to
reach all 66 million hungry school-age children.
http://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats
Nutrition Assistance
• Feeding America is nationwide network of food banks and the nation’s leading hunger relief charity. They collect more than 3 billion pounds of food and get it to people who need it including 12 million children - through local food pantries and meal programs.
• 94% of client households with school-aged children (ages 5-18) report participating in the National School Lunch Program, only 46% report participating in the School Breakfast Program.
• 24% client households with children report participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/child-hunger/child-hunger-fact-sheet.html
UNICEF Assistance in Child
Hunger• Micronutrient Powder: A winning combination of vitamins and
minerals boosts the immune system and gives children the strength to survive illness.
• Fight Malnutrition with Peanut Paste: Known as a “miracle food,” the peanut-based paste is easy-to-ship, ready-to-eat and does not need to be refrigerated.
• Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF began in 1950 as a way to help kids who need more than candy. Since then, children all over America have gone door-to-door on Halloween with UNICEF collection boxes, calling out, "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF!" They have raised more than $170 million for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF since 1950.http://www.unicefusa.org/mission/survival/nutrition?gclid=CNbv2724-MECFQVffgodbYgAHA
The Effects of Divorce
• Divorce rates took a major rise in
the 70s because it became easier
to get a divorce. Numbers slowly
rose until 1980 when they were
roughly 52%. Since then they have
slowly decreased, however the
current divorce rate in the U.S is
still around 40%
• Children exposed to divorce are
twice as likely to repeat a grade
and five times likelier to be expelled
or suspended from school,
according to the article- "Divorce's
Toll on Children" by Karl
Zinsmeister.
Divorce’s Impact On Children
• Increased probability of becoming a smoker
• Increased drug use (mainly Ritalin)
• Poor math and social skills
• Susceptibility to sickness and other health issues (stress
= bad immune system)
• Increased likelihood of dropping out of school
• More likely to commit a crime
• Greater chance of getting divorced (would continue the
cycle)
Effects of Divorce
• Divorce brings added stress on children
• In some cases children will have to move school or houses
meaning that the will have to start over or make new friends
• Not all students will be effected in these ways and some
students won’t be effected as far as academic performance
Effects of Stress
• Is linked to over 50 percent of all absences
• Impairs attention and concentration
• Reduces cognition, creativity, and memory
• Diminishes social skills and social judgment
• Reduces motivation, determination, and effort
• Increases the likelihood of depression
• Reduces neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells)
How We Can Help• Show that you care, respect, and support every student
• Do not give up on hard to reach children
• Do not let self fulfilling prophesies exist
• Schools can and are providing more reduced lunch options,
and breakfast before school
• Try to get the parents or family involved in the child’s learning
• Ask for help (kids will open up more for someone who can
relate or someone like them)
Effects of Dirty Water
• 1,600 under the age of 5 die from
contaminated water each day
• The improper sanitation of the
water and contaminated water
causes diarrhea
• 780 million people lack access to
clean water
• The water and sanitation crisis
has claimed more lives then any
war ever has
• In developing countries most
women and children have to walk
over 6 kilometers a day to get
water that is often contaminated
Effect on Education
• Over half of the worlds schools lack access to proper water
and sanitation
• Can cause students to miss class to deal with stomach pains
and diarrhea
• Students miss class to fetch water for their families
• Students can miss school to look after their sick families
• Schools cannot run when they cannot provide water for their
students and faculty
Clean Water In America• Over 10 million people do
not have access to clean
water in America
• Clean water is still limited in
many U.S. cities
• The clean water act is now
in progress helping protect
the still clean water in the
United States
• The act is working to keep
pollution out of the United
States rivers
• Many people in the United
States wonder if the water
is clean and reliable
How To Help• World Vision is an organization that provides more clean then
any organization
• They help install water pumps to communities that need it
• This provides flowing water long after World Vision gone
• They have installed more then 10,504 wells and water points
• One million people receive clean water from World Vision
each year
• 288,303 sanitation facilities have been built so far
Vaccinations Required for
Public Schools
• To enter Kindergarten (or by age 7 if not put in school on
time):
1. Hepatitis B – 3 doses
2. DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) – 5 doses
3. Hib (Haemophilus influenza type B) – Not given after age 5,
but 4 doses needed before then
4. Polio – 4 doses
5. PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate) – Not given after age 5, but
4 doses needed before then
6. MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) - 2 doses
7. Varicella (Chicken Pox) – 2 doses (unless already had virus)
Issues With Vaccines • Parents tend to have concerns, due to few vaccine experiences
going wrong in the past.
• Continual scientific research to improve and the slim chances of
things going wrong are helping to prove that vaccinations are
more beneficial than harmful for young children not becoming
seriously ill with the close contact of public schools.
• The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 732,000
American children were saved from death and 322 million cases
of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014
due to vaccination
Resources to Get Vaccinated
• The Children’s Aid Society
• Vaccines for Children Program (VCP)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)
• The average American has 6 to 10 colds a year and children are more
susceptible, because they have weaker immune systems and are in close
contact at schools. But there are simple measures to help prevent these
illnesses; such as, Vaccinations, routine hand washings, hand sanitizer,
bring own pencils and water bottles to avoid extra germs, and keep up on
personal health (diet, exercise, and sleep).
References
• http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-
america/impact-of-hunger/child-hunger/child-
hunger-fact-sheet.html. Website. 11/12/2014.
• http://www.nokidhungry.org/problem/hunger-
facts . Website. 11/12/2014.
• http://www.unicefusa.org/mission/survival/nut
rition. Website. 11/12/2014.
• http://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats. Website.
11/12/2014.