Environmental Effects on Childhood Development
When my
son-in-law was a youngster he was discovered rummaging through trash cans for
food for himself and his younger brother. His mother was a drug addict and
neglected to care for the boys. Fortunately, both of the boys were placed in a
foster home and were eventually adopted by that family. This family provided
stability and love and food – all of the things that their mother did not.
Through the county, the family took advantage of necessary medical care.
Although all of this took place when the boys
were quite young, he was three years old, it did not totally compensate for
those early years of deprivation. Both of the boys also needed some therapy as
a result of those early years. They both had trouble with impulse control and
aggressiveness that needed to dealt with. Luckily, for them the county helped
the family find the help the boys needed.
The region that I have chosen to
look at is the Detroit area and the effects that poverty is having on the
children there. A group called Kids Count has stated that approximately 71% of
children in the Detroit area live in families that are 200% of poverty level or
lower. Even when families are as much as 200% above poverty level, they have
difficulties paying rent and utilities as well as being able to provide
adequate food, medical care, and stable child care. This same group has offered
statistics that indicate that children ages 0 – 5 are the most affected group, with
percentages as high as 58% (detnews).
“Research
shows that children who grow up in high-poverty neighborhoods are at much
greater risk for health and developmental challenges in almost every aspect of
their lives, from education to their chances for economic success as adults.
These challenges exist regardless of their own family's income” (Speer, 2013).
I find this statement to be very interesting. Apparently, even when children
are living in a family that does not suffer from the effects of low income, the
prevalence of other families in the community who are suffering can still affect
them. Michigan has placed an emphasis on Head Start and Early Start programs to
try and offset some of the effects that poverty has on these youngsters.
Recently, some have also suggested that changing to a year-round school would
also be beneficial. This move would not only prevent what is called “the summer
slide” when it comes to their learning, but it would insure that these children
continue to be provided healthy breakfasts and lunches through the school lunch
program.
Another problem these families have
to deal with is that many of them live in what the USDA describes as a food
desert. A food desert has a lack of accessible grocery stores, farmer’s markets,
and other healthful food outlets (Nutrition Digest). This does not mean that
there is no food in the area;
however, it tends to be junk food that is readily available. Recent movements
have been trying to counteract this problem by establishing urban farms and/or
fresh food trucks for these areas.
Higgins, L.
(2013, June 29). High poverty areas need a community strategy. In Detroit
Free Press. Retrieved September 27, 2014
Speer,
L. (2013, May 16). Kids in High-Poverty Communities: 5 Ways It Affects Us All.
In The Whole Child Blog. Retrieved September 27, 2014
The USDA Defines
Food Deserts (n.d.). In American Nutirtion Association: Nutrition Digest.
Retrieved September 27, 2014
