Dr Mair Parry warns that their level of deprivation is at the heart of how healthy a child is.
Regaled as the ‘best healthcare system in the world’ by international experts, the NHS boasts some of the best doctors and delivers some of the most innovative practices available. And yet the health of our children and young people is far from the best. In fact, on many measures of child health, the UK lags behind its Western European counterparts.
A sobering picture
The data reveals a sobering picture:
- The UK ranks 15 out of 19 Western European countries on infant (under one year of age) mortality and has one of the highest rates for children and young people in Western Europe.
- The prevalence of smoking during pregnancy in the UK is higher than in many European countries (for example 5% in Lithuania and Sweden, compared with 19% in Scotland, 16% in Wales and 15% in Northern Ireland).
- At 6 months, only 34% of babies in the UK are wholly or partially breastfed, compared to 71% in Norway
- Across England, Scotland and Wales more than one in five children in the first year of primary school are overweight or obese.
Of particular concern in Wales are smoking and drinking rates among young people. 7% of 15 year old boys and 9% of 15 year old girls in Wales report to be regular smokers. And 13% of year olds admit to drinking alcohol weekly
Why does this matter?
The health and wellbeing of children has a direct impact on the health of future generations; health children make healthy adults. Equally, many of the health problems that occur in adulthood have their roots in childhood.
For example, smoking in pregnancy increases the likelihood of death, disability, and disease such as stillbirth, cot death and the risk of respiratory disease across the life-course. Obesity leads to substantially increased risk of serious life-long health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. And half of all mental health problems are established by the age of 14.
Poverty
At the heart of the problem is the alarming gap between rich and poor; a gap that is widening and that directly results in health for the most deprived.
An estimated 200,000 children live in poverty in Wales – and poverty has a major effect on the health of children and young people. Mothers from deprived communities are more likely to smoke, drink and have a poor diet during pregnancy, which can lead to low birth weights and risks to child health. And young people themselves from poorer backgrounds are more likely to smoke or drink, causing both short and long term health problems.
At the more extreme end of the spectrum, children from the most deprived fifth of the population have a rate of child death 70% higher than those in the least deprived fifth.
Political action
Welsh Government has done much to support families in need, in particular through the Flying Start project which provides free quality childcare, enhance health visiting services and access to parenting programmes. But there are clear gaps. The fact that where a child is born so starkly affects their chances of leading a healthy life is a trend that must be reversed.
In a landmark report published last week, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health brought together data for the first time on 25 measures ranging from specific child health conditions such as asthma, diabetes and epilepsy, through to risk factors including obesity, low breastfeeding rates, and mortality. It also made a series of recommendations which have the potential to have a major impact on improving child health across Wales.
At the heart of this is the call for Welsh Government to adopt a ‘child health in all policies’ approach; whatever policies are made, from whatever Government department, they must consider the impact on child health.
Other recommendations include:
- The expansion of the Flying Start project so all children living in poverty have access to the enhanced services and support it provides
- An extension of the ban on smoking in public places to all school grounds, sports fields and playgrounds
- Compulsory evidence-based health and wellbeing programmes embedded in all primary and secondary schools across Wales
- The extension of national programmes to measure height and weight of children after birth, before school and in adolescence
- Welsh Government to pursue responsibility to implement minimum unit pricing on alcohol
Early investment
Many of the illnesses that appear in adults have their roots in childhood, so by investing and intervening early, we’re much more likely to create a healthier population. It’s not always a message that goes down well with politicians, who are compelled to act on the ‘here and now’ and often fall victim to political short-termism. But the positive response from Welsh Government to this latest report, and the strong case to act now to reduce poverty and its effect on children, I hope will mean that children in Wales will soon be amongst the healthiest in the world.
I’m glad to hear that the Welsh Assembly Government is positive about the recommendations from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health on improving the health of all children in Wales from birth onwards.
The poorest children and their families need much better incomes as well as, in many instances, comprehensive support, in order to change their experiences, chances, and knowledge for the long-term.
Although place of birth is significant, poor children live in relatively better-off areas too, where facilities and services are available, yet their lives are still compromised by relative poverty, poorer health, and under-achievement. However, under-achievement isn’t the factor that needs work. It is poverty, the risks to health, and the limits poverty places on families, from generation to generation, that need working on.
It is a very great shame that any children are brought up in wales in ‘relative’ poverty which eventually goes on to blight their lives in so many ways,particularly in health which causes massive strains on public services and in particular the NHS which will collapse in 10 years. Plainly I do not have the information on the full extent of the ‘problem’,however our society is widening at a rapid rate in terms of income,which is then having the effect of separating children into the ‘have’s,and ‘have not’s and without massive redistributing of wealth then how are these trends to be corrected. I grew up in late 1940’s/50’s in working class village just outside Bridgend and due to war/economic problems the standard of living compared to day would be considered ‘dire’,however most of my friends still alive and in 70’s and had productive/useful lives.In my humble opinion the basis of our relative good health/opportunities was that we exercised a great deal as no one had cars in Aberkenfig (except GP/Headteacher/Business people). There is only a limited amount that public programmes can do ‘throwing money at problems’ to reduce inequality/opportunities as even in Sweden there are wide gaps between different sections of societies.