Family income does not only affect how big your house is, how many cars you could own or how much money you have in your bank. Family income can also affect your child's health, according to doctors.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians should screen the poverty levels of children visiting their clinics, according to a report from Parenting.com. This recommendation was prompted by a research showing the different negative health effects of low family income.
"We know that poverty-related conditions can take a significant and lasting toll," explained lead author John M. Pascoe, MD, MPH, FAAP. "But we also know there are effective interventions to help buffer these effects, like promoting strong family relationships, which cause positive changes in the body's stress response system and the architecture of the developing brain."
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The research shows that families who live in poverty are more at risk of different health conditions such as infant mortality, difficulties in speech and language, asthma, obesity and different injuries. Other possible effects of low family income on children's health include the development of chronic cardiovascular, immune, behavioral and mental problems.
The American Academy of Pediatrics also stated that many families from cities and suburbs are greatly experiencing a decrease in family income nowadays. "Poverty is everywhere. It affects children of all backgrounds and in all communities," says The American Academy of Pediatrics President Benard P. Dreyer, MD, FAAP.
One way to counter the effects of low family income on children's health is by properly budgeting your resources. "A household budget helps you to identify the areas in which you spend, and take necessary steps to curtail expenditure on those items that are non-essential and unnecessary," DCC explains. Being disciplined enough to sacrifice some of your leisure expenses in order to save money for your child's healthcare is a vital step in protecting your family's health.
