is a chronic disease that affects the airways that carry oxygen in and
out of the lungs. If a person has asthma, the inside of these airways is
irritated and swollen. Asthma can cause shortness of breath, wheezing,
coughing, and tightness in the chest.
Asthma is a major
chronic health
problem for children. It can get in the way of normal things like
playing outdoors, running, and even being around pets. Taking care of
asthma can also be costly for families and healthcare systems.
In 2007, a CDC study showed that 34 million,
or 1 in 9 Americans, had been diagnosed with asthma during their
lifetimes. Of that 34 million, 12.3 million had experienced an asthma
attack in the previous year. In 2006, asthma caused 1.6 million
emergency department visits, and almost half a million
hospitalizations.
Cancer
About 12,500 children and adolescents under the
age of 20 years are diagnosed with cancer each year. Childhood cancers
remain a leading cause of childhood deaths in the United States, despite
the fact that advances in health care and treatment have dramatically
increased survival from these cancers.
The most common childhood cancers are
leukemias, cancers of the blood cells. There are different kinds of
childhood leukemia. The most common kinds are acute lymphocytic leukemia
(ALL) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Brain and other nervous
system cancers are the second most common types of childhood cancers. Of
the 12 major types of childhood cancer, leukemias and brain and other
nervous system cancers account for 40% of all cases among children less
than 20 years of age. Other childhood cancers include: lymphomas,
sympathetic nervous system cancers, soft tissue sarcomas, renal tumors
(Wilms tumor and renal carcinoma), bone tumors (osteosarcoma and Ewing
sarcoma), malignant germ cell tumors, retinoblastomas, hepatic tumors,
and other malignancies.
Lead
Childhood lead poisoning is preventable. Before some uses of
lead were restricted, approximately 88% of preschool children in the United States had lead levels high enough to cause serious
health effects. With less lead in the environment, lead poisonings have decreased and become less severe.
However, lead poisoning still occurs.
Approximately 500,000 U.S. children aged 1-5 years have blood lead
levels greater than 5 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood ,
the level at which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommends public health interventions.
Developmental Disabilities
In the United States, about 1 in 6 children have a
developmental disability.
Developmental disabilities are a diverse group of severe chronic
conditions that are due to mental and/or physical impairments. People
with developmental disabilities have problems with major life activities
such as language, movement, learning, self-help, and living by
themselves.
These disabilities can begin anytime during
development up to age 22. Developmental disabilities usually last
throughout a person's lifetime. The specific cause of most developmental
disabilities is unknown. They may result from an interaction between
genetic, environmental, and social factors. Many developmental
disabilities are inherited and cannot be prevented. But some can be
prevented or lessened by having a healthy pregnancy, by detecting and
treating conditions early, and by preventing harmful exposures and
injuries.
Socioeconomic Conditions
What happens in a population, or a group of people, can help determine how health problems and disease can happen over time.
Characteristics of a population include:
- Sex,
- Age,
- Race and ethnicity, and
- Socioeconomic factors, such as poverty.
These characteristics may be related to the
number of new and existing cases of a particular disease in children.
Socioeconomic factors, such as education, occupation, and income, are
conditions that may affect how children live. Poverty affects families
of all races and backgrounds and especially children. U.S. Census Bureau
data show that an estimated 8.6% of Non-Hispanic whites, 24.7% of
African Americans, 23.2% of Latino Americans, and 11.8% of Asian/Pacific
Islander Americans are living in poverty. Research has shown that
children living in families with very little money and no health
insurance may have more poor health outcomes at birth and throughout
their lives.
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