“Experiences of racial discrimination can make children feel less connected and less worthwhile,” explains Lee. Children targeted by racism have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and behavior problems. That’s on the physical side - racism also affects children’s mental health. “Racism is a socially transmitted disease passed down through generations.” – American Academy of Pediatrics Lack of access to health care has been cited as one of the reasons children of color are less likely to survive childhood cancer. Limited food choices and diets of highly processed foods increase a child’s risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. They are at greater risk of brain and nerve damage from exposure to lead in their homes. Children who grow up in underserved neighborhoods are more likely to be exposed to air particles that increase their risk of asthma. Racism affects children’s health in numerous and complicated ways. In a 2019 report, the American Academy of Pediatrics describes racism as “a socially transmitted disease passed down through generations.” Directly and indirectly, racist systems and policies contribute to health conditions that can impact a child for life. “Over time experiencing or witnessing discrimination can negatively impact a child’s identity and self-esteem.”īut racism is also a pervasive social issue that plays a large role in the environment a child grows up in, the quality of their schools, the air they breathe, the water they drink. ![]() “Children can internalize harmful stereotypes,” says Erica Lee, attending psychologist at Boston Children’s Hospital. They may see their parents slighted or treated with disrespect. They may encounter adults who treat them as racial stereotypes, not as individuals. ![]() Children may experience it in the form of racial slurs. Racism can feel deeply personal for a child. But even after it fades from the news cycle, racism will remain present in the lives of children. Following the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, people around the world are taking a stand against race-based inequality and violence. Racism has once again gained national attention. (Illustration: Sebastian Stankiewicz, Boston Children’s Hospital) Even after it fades from the news cycle, racism will remain present in the lives of children.
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