Poverty ‘impacting children’s health’

POVERTY is having a devastating impact on children’s health – with parents diluting milk, skimping on food and living in damp, cold housing, doctors say.

More than 250 paediatricians across the UK were quizzed about how low income contributes to ill-health for the youngest in society as part of a new report. It concluded that millions of children are at risk of becoming unhealthy due to poor nutrition, unsuitable housing and stress from parents. And for children who already have health problems, such as asthma, poverty exacerbates the difficulties.

The doctors surveyed also provided sobering stories of the grave reality of life for the millions of UK children living in lowincome households.

Some claim parents are going without food to ensure their children don’t go hungry, with thousands of others resorting to food banks to make ends meet.

And the report found that almost half of paediatricians think things are getting worse.

In total, 34 paediatricians from Wales took part in the survey which was conducted by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Child Poverty Action Group.

Latest figures show that four million children (30%) across the UK live in poverty, with projections suggesting this could rise to five million by the end of the decade.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “We are improving children’s health through a range of targeted support, including our Healthy Child Wales Programme, as well as supporting parents and children through our Flying Start, Families First and Supporting People programmes.”