Studies on child health have revealed that the young generation of the North American countries of the United States of America, Mexico, Canada and El Salvador face a number of challenging health trends. Much of this is due to a lack of sufficient knowledge among parents regarding children’s health.

There are many significant inconsistencies in the health statistics among children in the North American countries. While Canada has high rates of infant mortality, Mexico has more child health issues because of lack of proper sanitation. Here is a look at some of the general health trends in North America:

Chemical exposure

It has been discovered that children in North American countries are at the risk of being exposed to lead, which is present in the environment. This is a continual exposure that has given rise to alarming developmental problems. Research has shown a link between chemical exposure in the environment and neuro-developmental disorders.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the commonly occurring neuro-developmental disorders in children. Almost eight percent of the babies born in the North American countries stand the risk of being affected by a neuro-developmental disorder such as ADHD or mental retardation.

Cancer

Perhaps the most distressing finding of the study is that cancer is one of the leading causes of child mortality in North American countries. Mortality rate has been found to be high among children between the ages of 5 and 14. The child mortality rate in Mexico has been high, with leukemia heading the list. Another form of cancer responsible for child mortality in Mexico is brain tumor, which also affects the central nervous system.

Obesity

Reports from North American countries show a significant and rapid rise in obesity among the younger generation. It has even been called a national epidemic in the United States of America. Studies reveal that more than a quarter of children in North America are obese, and that the obesity rates continue to rise. Obese children tend to have high cholesterol levels. They are also more likely to face issues like bullying and taunting that can eventually lead to emotional and psychological stress.

The irony of this problem is that a substantial number of children in the North American countries live in malnutrition.

Respiratory disorders

Ailments of the respiratory system in children are on the rise in the North American countries. It has almost taken the size of an epidemic. A few regions in North American countries have even shown a considerable increase in the incidence of asthmatic attacks among children in the last 20 years.

Surveys show that nearly 15% of children below the age of 18 were diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lives. Studies revealed that the ailment was most prevalent in the US-Mexico border areas.

Depression

Mental health disorders are also on the rise among children in these countries. While Depressive Disorders have been common among adolescents, there has been an increase in their numbers recently. The cause has been identified as suboptimal early developmental experiences, exposure to stress and genetic vulnerability.

Author Bio: Teisha Mahabir specializes in writing articles about health, diet, longevity and health specialists like Brenda Rusnak. Brenda Rusnak is a health care specialist who writes about health-aging and prevention. For more information about healthy-aging and Brenda Rusnak, check her out on Toronto iBegin.

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Keywords: health,trends,north,america,children,obesity,depression,cancer