Poverty Makes Children Sick

Poor children face multiple risks. Children who go hungry on a regular basis are at greater risk for long-term health problems. Poor children are more likely to live in unsafe neighbourhoods or problem neighbourhoods, which may lead to a number of negative consequences. Poor children have fewer opportunities for sports and recreation. Children in low-income families are over two and a half times more likely than children in high-income families to have lower functioning vision, hearing, speech, mobility, dexterity, cognition, and pain/discomfort.

• One in six children in Canada lives in poverty.
• 373,000 children living in poverty in the province of Ontario.
• 38,500 Ottawa residents go to a food bank in a month. 15,000 of them are children.

Inadequate Housing Makes Children Sick

The effects of poor housing conditions on children’s health have been well documented. Research shows us that substandard housing may lead to lower school performance, increased risk of asthma and risk of exposure to lead toxins. Crowded housing conditions can also contribute to exposure to communicable diseases, diarrhea and vomiting, and lower respiratory tract infections in infants.

• Tonight, 80 families will be using emergency shelters across Ottawa.                               
• 9,700 households are on a 5-8 year waiting list for subsidized housing in Ottawa

CHEO Takes Lead in Addressing Poverty in Our Communities

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, in the company of representatives from community hospitals across Eastern Ontario, has launched the video: “Poverty Makes Me Sick”. In coming together in this innovative manner, the partners add a joint and credible voice — a concerted ‘hospital voice’ — to the issue of child and youth poverty in their communties.

The video includes helpful statistics, lists of key resources and endorsements and, most importantly, ideas for action at local and national levels. It is complemented by two 30-second Public Service Announcements which can be distributed to local media. The “Poverty Makes Me Sick” package may be purchased for $20 by contacting Jama Watt by e-mail at jwatt@cheo.on.ca .

Watch a Web version of the video.

Print materials available for download:

CHEO Submission to Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction — A Submission to the Ontario Provincial Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction from CHEO. (336K Adobe Acrobat ® PDF file)

Poverty leaflet — Lettersize promotional material. English/French in one document of two pages. (420K PDF file)

Promotional Brochure — 8-pages lettersize, English. (300K PDF file)

Endorsement letter — Support for the initiative on the letterhead of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Health Centres (CAPHC). (84K PDF file)