The Health Of Children - Letter - Falmouth Enterprise
By Barbara Kanellopoulos
The British president of the World Medical Association, Michael Marmot, said that he likes to visit the United States: “It’s the only big country that makes me feel better about my own.” The United Kingdom ranked 16th out of 21 countries in a UNICEF survey of child health. The United States ranked at the bottom.
Why is it that the well-being of children is better in countries that are far less rich than ours? In “The Health Gap,” Dr. Marmot gives this answer: “Provision of high-quality services for early childhood makes a huge difference.”
The passing of bill numbered HD1960/SD1307, called Common Start Legislation, will make a huge difference in the lives of Massachusetts families who are facing a childcare affordability crisis. This legislation will ensure that all families can afford care for children ages 5 to 12 and for children with special needs through age 15. There is evidence that positive childhood experiences have a beneficial effect on adult health. Allowing both parents to be fully employed raises family income, reducing poverty and strengthening the economy.