85 Percent of Children Now Getting Preventive Care

In a recent study put out by Health Resources and Services administration shows that a good amount of children under the age of four are now receiving preventive health care. This is great news because most childhood medical events can be prevented if they are caught early enough.

Of those 85 percent of children it is mostly the children whose parents are above the poverty level that are more apt to get the preventive care, however slightly more then half of the children from below the poverty levels do also receive the preventive care.

The HRSA is trying to educate all parents about how necessary the preventative care really is. They put out brochures and leaflets in clinics around the nation. The HRSA combined all of this information into one huge report called Child health USA 2006 and this study included children of all ages and women of childbearing age.

The information collected for this research a show that more parents are taking a proactive stance on their children's heath and that certainly is good news. Healthier children means healthier adults and fewer dollars spent on childhood illnesses.

Healthier children also mean less time off school for those children and less time off work for their parents. This will ensure that the children get the education and socialization that they need.

Prenatal care is up by twenty percent for all racial and ethnic groups within the United States since the 1990 figures. Healthier babies' means that birth weights are up, and the babies have a better head start now then they did a few years ago. When you begin healthier, you tend to stay that way with the preventive care; however, the reverse is also true. Low birth weight and sickly babies cost more to get healthy then their higher weight counterparts.

In 2004 the percentage of mother breastfeeding their babies rose to 70 percent. This is great news for the babies who will benefit greatly if the mothers food intake is correct, but bad for formula companies. The benefits of breastfeeding are far greater for both the baby and moms then using formula.

Parents are feeding the children healthier diets and listening to doctors about the advice they give the children. Parents who set good examples for the children while they are young are setting good habits that will aide these children as they grow into adults.

This preventive care includes well child visits, immunizations, and nutritional counseling. Each of which help to assure that the child grows into a healthy happy and well adjusted adult.