The COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated the gap between care provided for babies in families with low incomes and those in higher-income families, a report released today shows.
The fourth annual "State of Babies Yearbook: 2022" shows many parents and caregivers don't have "what they need to ensure a strong foundation for their children," according to a Zero to Three news release.
Zero to Three is a national nonprofit whose mission is to ensure all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. It envisions a society that has the knowledge and will to support all infants and toddlers in reaching their full potential.
"Zero to Three works to ensure all infants and toddlers benefit from the family and community connections critical to their well-being and development," according to the report.
Zero to Three and its Think Babies campaign released the report. The campaign is intended to make the potential of every baby a national priority, and focuses on five policy areas -- paid leave, child care, early head start, infant and early childhood mental health, family support and economic security.
The report focuses on three main topics -- good health, strong families and positive early learning opportunities.
A baby's healthy development can start with the health of future parents, the report finds. Disparities in babies' health may begin before conception.
"The 2022 findings reveal significant disparities in the health outcomes of mothers and babies of color, with the starkest differences found among Black and American Indian/Alaska native families," the report found. "The persistence of these inequities continues to make clear the need for policies that directly address and eliminate the effects of generations of structural racism and the remaining barriers that limit access to responsive, quality health care. Disparities in health are also evident for babies in families with low income, particularly in their access to preventive care."
It is critical during babies' first three years they and their mothers have access to physical and mental health care, the report found.
Access to well-child medical visits, dental visits, and vaccinations is essential for the health of all babies and provides important developmental support for families, according to the report.
"Data reflect persistent disparities, particularly when analyzed by race/ethnicity and income," the report found.
The report recommends extending Medicaid coverage for mothers and babies (nationwide), including coverage for mothers through 12 months postpartum.
It recommends Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health coverage from birth through 4 years.
"Early experiences matter -- a lot," according to a Zero to Three report "The Basics of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: A Briefing Paper. "In the first years of life, more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second."
Babies' earliest experiences shape their brains, it pointed out.
Negative experiences can adversely affect development, it said.
State of Babies also recommended mandating Medicaid coverage for all children until they are 3.
MO HealthNet (Missouri's Medicaid program) uses the Federal Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to cover uninsured children of low-income families who do not have access to affordable health insurance, according to benefits.gov/benefit/1606.
The report found other challenges. Only about half of babies in the United States continue to breastfeed after six months, it said. And, only 84 percent of babies receive any breast milk.
"Breastfeeding is beneficial to both infants and their mothers," the report stated. "For young children, breastfeeding is associated with numerous benefits, including reduced rates of disease, overweight and obesity."
Breastfeeding is also associated with reduced rates of some cancers for mothers.
The report recommends providing additional funding for targeted outreach programs to reach all families eligible for the Women, Infants and Children program or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It also recommended extending the certification periods for WIC participants and extending how long children may participate.
State of Babies devoted a segment to the financial stresses on families.
"The economic and social impacts of COVID-19 have increased the incidence of material hardship and have deepened the need to support parents in nurturing the development of their young children," it stated. "Even prior to the pandemic, many families with young children, especially those with low income, faced material hardship -- and indications are that these hardships increased with the pandemic."
Of low-income families with babies, 40 percent were more likely to experience economic insecurity during the pandemic.
"More than four in 10 low-income families with young children saw their income decrease in 2021, compared to roughly two in 10 of higher-income families, the report found. "The numbers were reversed for families seeing their incomes rise in 2021: 38 percent of higher-income families reported an income increase, compared to just 25 percent of lower-income families."
Even in a growing economy, the disparities between the wealthy and poor hurts children, it said.
There has been little improvement across the board in economic indicators that affect poor families -- such as those concerning housing, neighborhoods or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
"States often have parallel policies that can exceed federal policy, as with the current minimum wage, or enhance federal supports ..." the report said. "They can work toward improving families' economic security in a variety of ways."
States can direct funding to meet needs of household with young children, it said. They can direct funds to households containing young children or push programs that assist pregnant women.
"States should ensure families with young children benefit from pandemic housing assistance," it said.