Poverty and Child Development Essay - 2193 Words

Poverty is defined in many ways. The dictionary definition simply does not suffice to show the human cost of poverty. Poverty is much more than the limited capital resources that this definition suggests. Poverty is defined by the federal government as 16,660 for a family of four in 1998 (Child Poverty in the United States 2000). These figures are tremendously flawed; a single individual residing in the United States would not fare well by the standards of most individuals at this income level. Individuals in Laos, Cuba, Ecuador, or many other nations however, would live as kings on this income. Poverty is, therefore a subjective concept far more complicated than a yearly income. The individual most harshly affected by poverty are†¦show more content†¦They have drastically reduced or eliminated the burden of many illnesses (Childrens Defense Fund 36). Not if you live in a third world nation though. Children, who are by nature less resistant to disease, do not fare as well a s adults. A child born in the year 2000 is far more likely to grow up healthy, and to reach adulthood than a child born in 1900. Over the past 100 years, our nations scientific, technological, and financial resources have built the most advanced health care system in the world. But the doors of the health care system are not open to everyone: the United States remains the only developed nation without a national health care system (Childrens Defense Fund 26). In the United States, some groups, such as Native Americans, rural African Americans, and the inner city poor, have extremely poor health, more characteristic of a poor developing nation than a rich industrialized one (Murray 2000). As bad as the United States may be when compared to other industrialized nations the picture becomes extremely grim when the data for the ten worst nations is analyzed. For example, in Sierra Leone typical life expectancy is a scant 25.9 years. All of the bottom 10 countries were in sub-Saharan Af rica, where the HIV-AIDS epidemic is rampant. In ascending order beginning with 191, those countries were Sierra Leona [sic], Niger, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana,Show MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Poverty On Child Development1724 Words   |  7 PagesPoverty causes most stress within households and has an impact on the healthy development of a child. If a family struggles financially they may not have money for food to be put on the table and the child will be hungry, which has a knock of effect to a child’s learning. A child will struggle to focus and learn if they are hungry as food is needed in order for the brain to function well. A child’s physical development is likely to be affected as they will not grow and thrive at the appropriateRead MoreEssay on Poverty and Child Development1589 Words   |  7 Pagesor in the city, but I never knew that there was a whole class of people in between. I’ve always heard of poverty and didn’t know much more about it except for the fact that people existed that were less fortunate, those who lived in this supposed poverty. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Jonathan Kozol’s book â€Å"Amazing Grace† depicts the issues that face families who are living in a world of poverty, homelessness and in a world where less fortunate is an understatement. Kozol writes about his experienceRead MoreThe Effects of Child Poverty on Their Cognitive and Social Development1706 Words   |  7 PagesThe Effects of Poverty on Children’s Cognitive and Social Development PSYC318 Sheehan Gilbert-Burne 6136739 Word Count: 1650 Question 2: Discuss the effects of poverty on children’s cognitive and social development and the extent to which effects might extend into adulthood Poverty is a global issue that has been at the forefront of economic debate for over a century. Left wing politicians and anti-poverty organisations around the world still adamantly fight for aRead MorePoverty Affects Child Development And They Experience More Social Problems Essay1370 Words   |  6 Pagesurban areas is poverty. Children who live in poverty are impacted with many negative effects physically or mentally. Some of these issues related to poverty are substandard housing, inadequate nutrition and food insecurity, inadequate child care, lack of access to health care, unsafe neighborhoods, and under resourced schools. Studies show that â€Å"poverty affects child development and they experience more social problems† (Curley). According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, â€Å"nearly one-thirdRead MoreState of America’s Children: Child Poverty Essay1332 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ State of America’s Children: Child Poverty Argosy University Online November 20, 2013 Abstract America is one of the riches countries in the world it is home to approximately 406 billionaires and many millionaires, babies are being born into poverty about every 32 seconds everyday (Children’s Defense Fund, 2010). The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) reports one is every five children are born in to poverty and children constitute for the poorest age group in America (Children’sRead MoreEffects Of Poverty On Children1553 Words   |  7 PagesHow Poverty Effects Children Makayla Ray University of Alabama in Birmingham Abstract This literature review of twelve previously published research articles has focused on summarizing some of the effects of poverty on children. The selected articles all focused on the major effect of poverty on children, and were sorted into four sub-categories or themes based upon a specific focus areas of this complex and not yet fully understood issue. These themes included developmental, educationalRead MoreNeighborhood Poverty, Social Capital, and the Cognitive Development of African American Preschoolers1482 Words   |  6 PagesChildren in families with lower incomes at or below the poverty line have been connected with poor cognitive and social development in early childhood. The studies that I chose to use evaluate the cognitive and social development during early childhood using various surveys, evaluations, and observations completed by or with the children, parents, and teachers. Development of any kind is dependent on the interplay of nature and nurture, or genetics and environment. These studies draw from a child’sRead MoreEffects of Poverty on Children: Literature Review Essay1352 Words   |  6 Pagesfocused on summarizing some of the effects of poverty on children. The selected articles all focused on the major effect of poverty on children, and were sorted into four sub-categories or themes based upon a specific focus areas of this complex and not yet fully understood issue. These themes included developmental, educational outcomes, health, and parenting effects, and how they were impacted by children living in poverty. Impact on Development The developmental theme included reviews of fourRead MoreImpact Of Environment And Poverty On Children s Educational Development1321 Words   |  6 Pagesextent environment and poverty is a significant factor in children’s educational development and attainment. This will be done by evaluating the effects that family, environment and poverty have on the way a child develops. This essay aims to focus on the degree these themes influence educational development. Whilst focusing on the impact during different stages of a child’s primary education, I will look at how these themes influence the child and why they are important. Poverty is a major issue thatRead MoreEffects Of Poverty On Children1554 Words   |  7 PagesEffects of Poverty on Children Makayla Ray University of Alabama in Birmingham Abstract This literature review of twelve previously published research articles has focused on summarizing some of the effects of poverty on children. The selected articles all focused on the major effect of poverty on children, and were sorted into four sub-categories or themes based upon a specific focus areas of this complex and not yet fully understood issue. These themes included developmental, educational