Governments in many countries are unable to pay attention to the proper care of
their children, and, consequently, many children become
less productive in their lives.
The nutritional status of an
individual largely determines
the response to injury and
stress, especially infection. Undernourished groups have a
higher incidence of infective
illness. This is particularly so regarding diarrhoea, measles and
whooping cough. In many developing and least developed
countries, many children are
anemic due to lack of nutrients
necessary for them.
So far, no studies on mortality
and morbidity of the children
living in the squatter settlements of the Third World are
available. But many countries
of Southeast Asia report high
infant mortality rates in squatter settlements, but the concerned authorities have not
paid special attention to this
fact.
In most Asian countries, only
a small percentage of the children have access to health services. Their high rates of low
birth weight, infant and toddler
mortality and malnutrition reflect the tip of the iceberg of
physical, intellectual and social
disabilities among the survivors. Unless their needs are taken into account in development planning, there is every
danger that some of these
countries may end up with a
permanent problem.
It has been discovered from
research that infants whose
parents smoke have more than
twice the incidence of pneumonia and bronchitis compared to
infants whose parents do not
smoke. Parental smoking also
has the additional effect of the
child picking up the habit.
Alcohol forms part of the environment of a large majority of
children, and many make their
first contact with it very early.
This is why there should be a
healthy environment in each
home because home influence
plays a pivotal role in the development of a child’s development attitude.
In most countries, no city has
ever been planned with children in mind. In an international survey of 11 to 14 years
old, carried out for UNESCO in
several cities of the world, it was
discovered that many of the
children were victims of experiential starvation. In many inner
urban areas, owing to fear of accidents, isolation of children is
growing.
In Nepal, due to rapid urbanisation, there are neither sufficient playgrounds nor open
spaces for children. This is why
most urban children are glued
to their TV, computers, laptops
and cell phones. This trend in
the long run will have an unfair
impact on their physical and
mental development.
THT-2019-mar-19
