With immigrants coming into America from all over the world, children of immigrants are said to be the faster growing area of our population. However, there is a huge concern that because of their immigrant standing, they are going o be facing new challenged as a result of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement that was just recently released. Pediatrics address the very real issue that because they are from immigrant families, they are likely lower income homes and that poverty provided a difficult barrier for these children; namely, that they will not receive the health insurance and care that they need. Not only that, but their health is at risk because of their lower income or substandard homes, among other concerns.
AAP notes despite the fact most immigrant children are living in a two parent household, both of which are working full time, they are still having worse health concerns than the children of those who are not from the immigrant families. The AAP policy statement claims the "national interest" for all children in the country is that they grow up to be healthy individuals, and this includes children of both immigrant, and non-immigrant families. They claim the future of the U.S. rests in the hands of the children, and this means that all children need to be healthy.
The AAP is focusing in their policy that all children have the same rights to medical care and treatment, no matter their immigration standing. Within their policy they drafted recommendations for pediatricians to improve the health of the kids from immigrant families, as well as recommendations for future policies of immigration that will promote and improve the health of the children. Leading author of the policy Gonzalo J. Paz-Soldan, MD, of Arlington Pediatric Center in Virginia claims the children of immigrants today are extremely vulnerable and because of the excessive amounts of toxic exposure, they are more susceptible to long term effects other children may not be as at risk for.
Pediatrics statement has been updated from their 2005 policy, and it opens up with claiming that there are currently 18.4 million children who live with an immigrant family, which is about one out of every four kids; and a majority of them were born here in the U.S. the policy suggests a few key factors for pediatricians to consider when caring for the health of the immigrant children whom seek their treatment.
The policy first suggests that pediatricians to come together an seek health insurance programs for these children who are lacking in medical coverage, because whether or not they are from an immigration family or not, they still have the same needs for health to be met. Research is also required on behalf of the pedestrians as well. As they understand further the many concerns for health that are specific to the immigrant children, they can better formulate plans of action for treating them. Also, AAP encourages pediatricians to regularly check up on foreign new born babies in order to regulate possible diseases and other conditions that may occur.
AAP is also encouraging immigration reform in the area of medical treatment and children in order to help offer the kid's better coverage, and this includes banning the use of past medical records to enforce immigration action. Essentially they are fighting to have the rights of immigrants, especially the children, fought for. Overlooking the medical needs of the children is cruel and therefore any one here in the country deserves the right to high quality care and treatment, just as much as they deserve the right to an education or work.
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