Low Birth Weight Bearing

Discuss disparities related to ethnic and cultural groups relative to low birth weight infants and preterm births. Describe the impact of extremely low birth weight babies on the family and on the community (short-term and long-term, including economic considerations, on-going care considerations, and co-morbidities associated with prematurity). Identify at least one support service within your community for preterm infants and their family. Provide the link for your colleagues to view. Does the service adequately address needs of this population? Explain your answer.

Poverty is not simply a deficiency in material resources, it is the complex situation of low income that limits ones access to many of the social determinants of health such as safe and suitable housing, food, child care, education, and can lead to social exclusion (Séguin et al, 2012). The experience of poverty in childhood, particularly early childhood, has been linked to many adverse health effects such as low birth weight, increased incidence of asthma, injuries, mental health issues and obesity (Sharma & Ford-Jones, 2015). The impact of childhood poverty continues into adulthood, increasing the risk of many chronic diseases. Perhaps even

The area a child grows up in has an effect, for example if a child is brought up on a council estate in poor housing they are more likely to have health problems. If parents are not working or have low income jobs they are likely to buy cheaper food and usually this means lower quality which can lead to health problems. Children and their families may have lower expectations. They might settle for the life that id mapped out. If a child lives in high rise flats or appartments they have less oppportunities to play. In poor quality housing there may not be a garden or safe playing area. This is reducing the childs opportunities to develop their physical gross motor skills. This of course is not always the case

The environment inside the mother’s womb can indeed have a dramatic influence on the development of a child but environment influences such as where the child is raised can have a huge affect on a child development as well. Children of a low income tend to live in more polluted areas, where the air and the water are polluted, pollution can cause brain development in children as well lung diseases that can be development in childhood or can affect them later in life. One the factors that can have a huge impact on a child’s life is housing. Those on a low income are more likely to be living in poor housing conditions experiencing stress from overcrowding including noise, lack of privacy, having to wait to use facilities such as the toilets, poor heating and ventilation in winter, poor washing and cooking facilities, the house can have many hazards for a child due to architectural features, dampness, as well the neighbourhood cannot be safe or have poor facilities such as shops and parking. Poor housing is associated with poor health this is due of poor facilities and opportunities, children that grow up within poor housing are more

Child poverty can have many effects on children, one being health problems. A widespread method to family and community health is authoritative to provide children with the finest upbringing. Nonetheless, restricted access to health services and appropriate programs are often seen as serious. This could have been prevented with instant and continuing development. The number of families who are required to rely on emergency food sources, in a period of economic wealth is one example of the relationship between high costs of housing, food

So we now know income is a huge contributor to child poverty but this can then lead to poor health for the child and this can start from the

Those who live in poorer communities often suffer from greater ill health while those living in deprived areas are often without access to the best health care. This lack of prevention stems from poor education often received in those areas and the culture that often permeates within them.

Evidence show that people from lower class backgrounds and ethnic minority’s backgrounds are more likely to suffer more health problems to the majority ethnic group this shows a pattern of inequality.

Discuss disparities related to ethnic and cultural groups relative to low birth weight infants and preterm births.

In addition, many families do not make sufficient income to provide adequate food, housing or health care, and so then health conditions are drastically different than those of the upper class. According to Mantsios, Lower-class standing is correlated with higher rates of infant mortality, eye and ear disease, arthritis, physical disability, diabetes, nutritional deficiency, respiratory

Poor parents are less likely to monitor their children's diet, diet patterns and physical activity due to stress and time constraints if they work. Parents who work full-time are less able to monitor their children due to a decrease in maternal presence and availability during the day. Studies shows that poor people who move out of low-income housing into better neighborhoods are much less likely to have diabetes or be obese than people who stay behind in poor neighborhoods. Studies suggests that not only the financial burned of poverty contributes to obesity but the surroundings or type of area that an individual lives in adds to the complication. (Committee on Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity. National academic Press. ) (2005) Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: Focus on Schools. Retrieved from the National academic Press, http://site.ebrary.com/lib/devry/Doc?id=10115249&ppg=11

Every society has a class whether that be lower-middle, upper-middle or high class. Differences between children that grow up in favorable conditions and those who grow up in poverty are noticeable around 9 months (Moore, McDonald, Carlon, & O’Rourke, 2015). The class you are in sometimes can have effects on your health and lifetime. This article Early childhood development and the social determinants of health inequities points out the indicators pertaining to children and families. It is said that poor children worsen in health as they progress while those in higher class improve.

Being born into a certain social class may affect your health drastically, a child born in the lower end of the social systems is twice as likely to die in the first few months of their life than a child born in the professional class (6). (See appendix1.1) The well being of a child is also at risk when born lower down in the social scale, their vaccinations and dentist visits are limited. (See appendix1.2)

Health is another issue that has been examined as a potential effect of living in poverty. A large amount of literature links low income to child health problems with studies showing that children in poverty are at a greater risk of infant, child and adolescent deaths (Children’s Defense Fund, 1994) along with malnutrition (Miller & Korenman, 1994) and numerous other health issues. These health issues can also be linked to the low quality living environment, as children in poverty are more likely to be exposed to toxins such as lead along with poorer air and water quality. These have been found to lead to cognitive deficits in children (Holgate, Samet, Koren, & Maynard, 1999).

“High rates of child poverty are a cause for concern, as low family income has been associated with a range of negative health, education, justice, labour market and social outcomes. Negative health outcomes include low birth weight, infant mortality, poorer mental health and cognitive development, and hospital admissions from a variety of causes” (Craig, Reddington, Wicken, Oben & Simpson, 2013, pg. 24).