Butler-Jones – child health problems

One is mental health. I mean that nurturing environment for kids, that support for kids as they’re growing; I remember working with a very wise psychiatrist many years ago when I was a young resident and him talking about the method of parenting matters less, actually matters very little at the end of the day other than the fact that the kids that are truly loved and know it, they may go through rough patches, but they tend to turn out okay.  

And quite honestly that’s been my observation as well. That those nurturing environments where kids are supported, stimulated, allowed to be kids as they grow, and to learn as they grow and to be supported in that learning I think is critical, and it’s very inconsistent unfortunately. 

The second piece is a physical one linked with mental health but more physical and with long term consequences, and that’s the rising rates of obesity in children. 

Unfortunately if the trends continue, this may well be the first generation of kids not to live as long or as healthy as their parents. That’s a tragedy, and it’s something that’s creeped up on us. It’s something that we’ve actually been responsible for, partly by not paying attention.