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.