children s health issues
Overview of Social Issues Affecting Children
Introduction
As children grow and develop, they will encounter both positive experiences and challenges. Some of these challenges are minor, but others may cause significant stress. To thrive, a child must experience consistent and ongoing care from a loving, nurturing caregiver, whether that person is a parent or other caregiver. The security and support that such an adult can provide gives a child the self-confidence and resiliency to cope effectively with stress. Interactions with people outside the home help children mature emotionally and socially. These interactions typically occur with close relatives, friends, neighbors, and people at child care sites, schools, places of worship, and sports teams or other activities. By coping with the minor stresses and conflicts inherent in these interactions, children gradually acquire the skills to handle more significant stressors. Children also learn by watching how the adults in their lives handle distress. Like adults, children are impacted by events that occur outside of their own homes or communities. For example, shootings at schools and other places or events are widely covered by all types of media. Even if adults try to shield children from knowing about these events, most children become aware of them when they happen. School shootings, in particular, receive a lot of coverage by traditional types of media, such as television, radio, and newspapers; digital media, such as news and discussion web sites; and social media. The older the child, the more access they tend to have to information about these events. In addition, accounts of political differences regarding controversial issues are delivered by some media sources using extremely aggressive and polarizing language or graphic or violent images. This can be anxiety-provoking for anyone, but it can be particularly stressful for children. Parents may be unable to help their child manage this stress or limit its impact because they may not even know what their child has heard outside of the home. As children mature into adolescents and young adults, they develop their own sense of independence about opinions, beliefs, and actions. Parents, along with schools and community and religious institutions, are often relied on to direct children's education and help them develop their beliefs. Children's thoughts and beliefs are also shaped by outside influences. Social media is one of the leading influences and the source of much of the news and information to which children are exposed. They may have access to information as well as to misinformation through smartphones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, and other mobile devices. Parents and caregivers are often unaware of the sources of information to which their children are exposed and often do not have the opportunities to control these significant influences. It is easy for most children to access information that is inaccurate, inappropriate, or inconsistent with parental values. It is imperative for parents and caregivers to be aware of all of the sources from which their children receive information. Awareness is best accomplished by having open discussions with children, parental monitoring of online activity, and, as needed, limiting access to inappropriate content. Illness or death in an infant or a child often makes parents feel guilty, even when they are not at fault. Parents should discuss difficult topics with a child during a quiet time, in a safe and comfortable place, and when the child is interested. Children who are bullied are often too frightened or embarrassed to tell an adult. Certain major events that disrupt the family structure or routine, such as Chronic Health Problems in Children and Events affecting a child may also have negative consequences for people close to the child. Caring for a sick child or a child who has serious behavioral problems is stressful for caregivers and anyone else who is part of the child's life. The consequences of such stress vary with the nature and severity of the illness or behavioral problem and with the family's emotional resources and other resources and supports. 