African American Children: Quick Health Facts
- African American children between ages 6 -17 were 1.3 times as likely to be overweight than Non-Hispanic Whites.
- African-American children have a 500% higher mortality rate from asthma as compared with Caucasian children.
- 13.9% of African American babies are considered low birth weight as compared to 7.2% of White babies.
- African American children have a death rate 23% higher than the rate for White children.
- African American teen girls had a pregnancy rate 65% higher than the rate for White girls.
- 17.3% of all African American children are uninsured.
- Only 12 % of White children are in less than good or excellent health, compared to 25% of African-American children.
- African-American children are more than three times as likely as children of other races to develop sleep-disordered breathing.
- First step: Education! Educate children. Educate parents. Educate communities. Educate society. In order to avoid these disparities, we need to EDUCATE!
- African-American children have a 500% higher mortality rate from asthma as compared with Caucasian children.
- 13.9% of African American babies are considered low birth weight as compared to 7.2% of White babies.
- African American children have a death rate 23% higher than the rate for White children.
- African American teen girls had a pregnancy rate 65% higher than the rate for White girls.
- 17.3% of all African American children are uninsured.
- Only 12 % of White children are in less than good or excellent health, compared to 25% of African-American children.
- African-American children are more than three times as likely as children of other races to develop sleep-disordered breathing.
- First step: Education! Educate children. Educate parents. Educate communities. Educate society. In order to avoid these disparities, we need to EDUCATE!
Here's how to tell if something you are eating is upsetting your baby:
Remember: It takes about two to six hours for your body to digest and absorb the food you eat and pass it into your breast milk.
- So, if you eat dinner at 5:00 P.M., and your baby shows the symptoms listed above around 9:00 P.M., think about what you ate for dinner. - To be sure if those foods are causing the problem, you will have to eat them again and see if he/she has the same reaction.
- If your baby seems very fussy, try keeping a record of what you eat and drink.
- Bring the record to your health care provider to talk about a possible link between certain foods and your baby's symptoms.
- If you think a particular food is causing a problem, stop eating it for a while and see if your baby reacts better. You can always try later to introduce that food again into your diet in small amounts. If your baby doesn't seem to react to it anymore, you could add more the next time.
- Sometimes a baby can be born with a condition called primary lactase deficiency or with galactosemia, in which they can't tolerate breast milk. This is because their bodies can't break down lactose, a sugar found in the milk of humans and animals. Symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting. Babies with severe galactosemia may have liver problems, malnutrition, or mental retardation. Babies with these conditions must be fed formula that comes from plants, such as soy milk or a special galactose-free formula.
Remember: It takes about two to six hours for your body to digest and absorb the food you eat and pass it into your breast milk.
- So, if you eat dinner at 5:00 P.M., and your baby shows the symptoms listed above around 9:00 P.M., think about what you ate for dinner. - To be sure if those foods are causing the problem, you will have to eat them again and see if he/she has the same reaction.
- If your baby seems very fussy, try keeping a record of what you eat and drink.
- Bring the record to your health care provider to talk about a possible link between certain foods and your baby's symptoms.
- If you think a particular food is causing a problem, stop eating it for a while and see if your baby reacts better. You can always try later to introduce that food again into your diet in small amounts. If your baby doesn't seem to react to it anymore, you could add more the next time.
- Sometimes a baby can be born with a condition called primary lactase deficiency or with galactosemia, in which they can't tolerate breast milk. This is because their bodies can't break down lactose, a sugar found in the milk of humans and animals. Symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting. Babies with severe galactosemia may have liver problems, malnutrition, or mental retardation. Babies with these conditions must be fed formula that comes from plants, such as soy milk or a special galactose-free formula.
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