How does homelessness affect children?
Homelessness damages children. The Family Housing Fund conducted a survey of professional research on the effect of homelessness in 1999. They concluded that homeless children are not merely at risk of damage, most also suffer specific physical, psychological and emotional damage due to experiencing homelessness. Physical health: Homeless children consistently exhibit more health problems, have higher risk for infectious diseases, are at greater risk for asthma and lead poisoning and generally lack access to consistent health care. Emotional health: Homeless children suffer stresses and trauma that they are unprepared to handle, leading to severe emotional distress, higher incidence of mental disorders and frequent episodes of unacceptable behavior, although they usually do not have access to professional assistance for these problems. Academic development: Homeless children’s academic performance is seriously affected by their poor physical and emotional health, as well as by the numb
