Health Issues

          Adults and children have different working conditions. These conditions are safe and healthy for adults but may not be safe for the children because of the physical differences.  Children are not physically developed as adults.   Children have different stages of development which slowly build up throughout their adolescent age.  There is a higher risk to children during their development years and it can effect long term.  Children being very delicate because their bones, tissues, brain, should not be working.  If we put heavy work load on these children it can affect their health and growth, this can be harmful for them in future.  Children bodies do not give permission to do heavy work because they are still growing and developing.     These children do not work for few hours but they work constantly over eight hours.  They do not have any choice than to work and not think about their health.  

         

           There are many risk factors that can harm children due to heavy work load.  1) Bones grow during adolescent age and heavy lifting can damage these bones.  These damages increased risk in future injuries.  2) Development of organs and tissues at adolescent age can be effect by the exposure of chemicals; this can risk the brain development.  3) Studies have shown that working in noisy environment can risk of hearing loss.  Mostly children work in factories where there is a lot of noise.  Noise environment is designed for adults not for children because it is harmful for them.  4) At the age of adolescent children need food and rest.  They need all types of nutrition, which help them to grow healthier.  Children work long hours and they do not get enough sleep.  Children need more sleep than adult.  Lack of sleep gives dark circles, it is unhealthy, and children become more lazy.  5) Children tend to absorb more chemicals than adults.  Exposure to the chemical is more harmful to the children.  These chemicals can be found in their blood and tissues.  6) “Young Children have lower heat tolerance than adults, in part because their sweat glands are developing.” (Child Labor and Health: Adult Education Workshop, 2000).  Adults can tolerate the heat and the work environment in designed according to adults but it can cause heat stress to the children. 

        

          There are many other risk factors and poverty is one of them.  Children who do not have money are more likely to work at high risk places.  For example, agriculture, mining, and construction.  Children work hard in these types of places because they need more money.  Poverty related health problems, for example, malnutrition, fatigue, and anemia can increase the risks of permanent disabilities and premature death.  Children have to deal with these problems because they have no option to earn money. 

          

          Agriculture is very hard work.  There is so much force involved.  Most undeveloped countries do not have machines to use for agriculture but instead they have workers.  In countries like India or Pakistan, low income people work in farms.  Children work with their parents.  Each year millions of children die working in farms.  The cause of death can be heat, heavy equipment, use of force, lack of food and sleep.  These risk factors are harmful for children. 

“Surveys in 26 countries, by the International Labor Organization (ILO), found that almost one in four economically active children suffered injuries or illnesses while working.” (Child Labor and Health: Adult Education Workshop, 2000)

“Studies in the United States find that working youth appear to have injury rates almost twice as high as adult workers. Among injured young workers in the U.S., 16-17 year olds and adolescent males appear to suffer the highest number of work-related injuries.” (Child Labor and Health: Adult Education Workshop, 2000)

 Reference

U.S. Department of Labor, Report on the Youth Labor Force, (June 2000). “Child Labor and Health: Adult Education Workshop”.  Retrieved April 11^th, 2011.  http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/materials/documents/clpephealthhandouts.pdf