Effects of Poverty, Hunger and Homelessness on Children and Youth.

 The nation’s economic crisis has deeply affected the lives of millions of Americans. Skyrocketing foreclosures and job layoffs have pulled the rug out from under many families, particularly those living in low-income communities. Deepening poverty is inextricably linked with rising levels of homelessness and food insecurity/hunger for many Americans and children are particularly affected by these conditions.

• How Does Poverty Affect Children's Health?
  

  The likelihood of lifelong health or illness is set in childhood. A healthy diet throughout childhood and life protects against nutritional imbalances, malnutrition and malnourished, as well as chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer.

  A developing body that is given the food and nutrition needed to grow and thrive will develop a foundation for a sturdy brain architecture and the accompanying range of broad physical, social, and emotional skills. And optimal nutrition is particularly important in the first years of life. Without a nutrient-rich diet, children are more likely to die before reaching age 5. More than five million children died before the age of 5 in 2018, and 45 percent of those deaths were linked to under nutrition.
  

• How Does Poverty Affect a Child's Development?

  Inequality starts at birth, but poverty attacks and affects children before they’re even born.Starting in the womb, issues such as maternal malnutrition and disease often compromise an infant’s ability to survive. Premature birth, which significantly diminishes a child’s chance of survival for children in low- and middle-income countries, is common to the global poor with about 10 percent of babies born prematurely each year.

  
  

• Five effects of hunger on children.

  1. Malnutrition: There are many forms of malnutrition. In essence, it’s the physical effects caused by not having enough nutrients for healthy growth. This can be due to a lack of food, eating foods that aren’t nutritious or certain illnesses. Malnutrition can affect children in several ways, including; stunted growth (if this happens before the age of three, the damage can be reversed with treatment. But after that, it’s irreversible)  and, in case of sudden and severe lack of food, wasting.

  2. Impaired development: If a child doesn’t take in enough micro-nutrients, their intellectual and physical development can be harmed. This can cause lifelong disability, developmental delays and mental disorders. For example, iron is key in a baby’s brain development, as is iodine. An iodine deficiency before birth can cause irreparable brain damage.

  3.  Low immune system: Higher risk of other diseases.

  4.  A stunted future: By stunting brain development, making it hard to concentrate over an empty belly or repeatedly keeping a sick child from school, hunger robs a child of a good education – and limits their prospects for the future.

  5.  Reinforcing poverty: If a family has to use the resources they have on health costs, they'll have even less for housing and food.

• Effects of homelessness on youth.

  1. At risk and exhausted: No home, no bed, no security and no stability – being homeless is exhausting and affects every part of a vulnerable young person’s life. No wonder they take risks to find somewhere to sleep.

  2. Mental health: The physical toll of sleeping outside is one issue, but sleeping on a bus or ever-changing network of sofas and floors can be just as challenging. Mental health issues like depression, anxiety or anorexia are easily made worse under these conditions.

  3. Poor health and nutrition: Homeless young people often don’t have access to enough affordable, nutritious food. 60% of young people in our services told us they had skipped meals, slept hungry and eaten less because they couldn’t afford to eat.

  4. Finding a job: Youth unemployment in the UK is still almost three times higher than the rest of the population. Getting into work is particularly tough for disadvantaged young people facing extra challenges in their lives.

  5. Disrupted education: A disrupted education is a common issue for homeless young people that drastically affects their chances of achieving qualifications. And without education or training, it’s even harder to find sustainable employment.

  6. Violence and abuse: Young people out on the streets are often victims of assault or verbal abuse. These experiences, and fear of them, leave many young people feeling very vulnerable while rough sleeping.