Marginalization in the village

Child development during the early years occurs at a pace that is unsurpassed during later stages and lays the foundation for subsequent development. Given the importance of these early years it is critical that young children be provided with the best possible start. There is ample evidence that family income is a key determinant of child health and development.Child poverty is a significant public health concern in Canada. Children’s early experience with poverty affects their health not only when they are young but also later in their lives as adults. Children living in low-income families or neighborhoods have worse health outcomes on average than other children on a number of key indicators including infant mortality low birth weight asthma overweight and obesity injuries mental health problems and lack of readiness to learn. Some groups such as Aboriginal populations suffer disproportionately from poverty and its consequences such as excess infant mortality higher risk of injuries and higher rates of disabilities respiratory conditions and obesity.