Katrina Kids: "The Sickest Ever"

Even before the storm, they were some of the country's neediest kids. Now, the children of Katrina who stayed longest in ramshackle government trailer parks in Baton Rouge are "the sickest I have ever seen in the U.S.," says Irwin Redlener, president of the Children's Health Fund and a professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. According to a new report by CHF and Mailman focusing on 261 displaced children, the well-being of the poorest Katrina kids has "declined to an alarming level" since the hurricane. Forty-one percent are anemic--twice the rate found in children in New York City homeless shelters, and more than twice the CDC's record rate for high-risk minorities. More than half the kids have mental-health problems. And 42 percent have respiratory infections and disorders that may be linked to formaldehyde and crowding in the trailers, the last of which FEMA finally closed in May. The "unending bureaucratic haggling" at federal and state levels over how to provide services and rebuild health centers for the Gulf's poor has made a bad situation much worse, says Redlener: "As awful as the initial response to Katrina looked on television, it's been dwarfed by the ineptitude and disorganization of the recovery."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[AlligatorShuz]

The government was weighing a plan on Sunday to rescue Citigroup Inc., whose stock has been hammered on worries about its financial health.

The Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve have been in discussions over the weekend to devise a strategy to stabilize the company, according to people familiar with the talks. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions were ongoing

But they don't want to feed hungry and sick AMERICAN CHILDREN...

[ebanks84]

New Orleans was not a happenstance fate. Read about the H.A.A.R.P system we have in place under the Bush administration and you will find that H.A.A.R.P is considered the cause of Hurrican Katrina and a few other natural (so-called) disasters.

Become informed and know what you are talking about.

[AlligatorShuz]

Now scientist had been telling New Orleans that the Big One was going to whappen and it had been telling them what they needed to do. It was the incompentant MAYOR RAY NAGIN WHO HAD NO EMERGENCY EVECUATION PLAN TO GET THE CITIZENS OUT OF THAT CITY. You can't blame anybody but the elected people who run that city... They are responsible for the large number of deaths..... Mayor Ray Nagin is the prime example why people should not elect incompentant people to office....

[doctorj2u]

Alligator,
Keep deluding yourself with the evacuation arguement. Did you read the article?
" As awful as the initial response to Katrina looked on television, it's been dwarfed by the ineptitude and disorganization of the recovery."
The recovery misery has been YEARS!!!! And Americans let it happen right under their noses To you it is one great big reality show. To us, the people that LIVE it, it is our lives. I once loved my country. I don't anymore. I wonder if I ever will again.

[RightWingMarine]

If Hurricane Katrina had not come to New Orleans the levees probably would not have failed at that time. I say probably because in 1982 it was discovered that the levee had a design flaw. (New Scientist, 25 February 2006, p 8 is my source) Other problems were noted throughout the 80's and 90's under both Republican and Democrat administrations. Eventually the levees were going to fail and the information was there to everyone who wanted to know. The Army Corps of Engineers wasn't shy about it, but it would cost a bunch of money to fix and politicians don't get their picture in the paper paying for levee repair, they get it for funding midnight basketball. This is the same reason that I-35 bridge collapsed, politicians will spend your money in ways that generate publicity for them.

[stayinsouth1981]

I clearly remember a 1970's National Geographic article that addressed the problem with the disappearing wetlands in LA. "IF" oil companies weren't cutting paths, IF we didnt funnel silt straight off the continental shelf and if the levies had been built a bit better... New Orleans night not have flooded. Then again, one loose barge knocking into a wall and WOOOSH. None of this touches the effect this storm had on Mississippi Gulf Coast, Alabama and even Florida. Forget about discussing Rita.

These storms devastated the existing emergency response systems in the areas. The federal government needed to be ready to step in. It was not. MS rep. Gene Taylor said it best when he gave them an "F."

[AlligatorShuz]

And yes it is the CHURCH'S RESPONSIBILITY to help the poor in their communities but the church has also gotten off track so somebody has to help these people. We live in the richest country on earth and there should not be children HUNGRY HERE IN AMERICA. But AMERICA can go aross the globe and condeming other nations about their human rights abuses to its citizens. But certain segaments of the american polulation don't want to feed it own citizens. But they find it is ok to kill people in a war.....

[RightWingMarine]

Why is it the responsibility of the federal government to take care of these children? Why did their parents live in these trailers for so long if they are so bad?

Since having the government throw money at the problem has only resulted in bureaucratic turf battles and a waste of our tax dollars why do we for an instant believe that this problem would be solved by throwing more money at it?

[realwoman]

You're right, it isn't the governments resposibility to raise our children, nor should it be. Please, if you can not take care of yourself, if you don't have a safe, secure home to live in, if you don't have a steady job, if you don't have a network of family or friends to help you with child care, then DO NOT bring a child into this world. It's cruel and unfair to bring a child into poverty.

[ebanks84]

Poverty should never be in this country. Too many that don't have and oh so few that's got more than they need. Some bring children into this world because of love and it hasn't a thing to do with anything other than that. You are not the children police and should not be able to tell someone why they should have a baby. Take care of your own and leave others alone if you are so cold.

[AlligatorShuz]

Your comments ate competely stupid sounding!
A safe and secure home?
What planet do you live on or you must no beleive in reality...

[ebanks84]

You have a lot of "whys" but no "why nots" and it makes me wonder. America is a family and family should look out for each other. Would it have been better if they were your kids being treated like that? No, of course not. But when they are somebody else's kids you can see how we are throwing away our money trying to be responsible for one another as we should be. No man is an island and cannot live on this earth by himself. We need each other and should want to care for each other. That's what it is all about. I wouldn't care if the government had to throw every penny it had in helping this country get back on its feet. I would throw my pennies in there, too. I don't want any one citizen to suffer or be withoutl. I care about my fellow man. And if we were all true Americans, we would all feel the same.

[AlligatorShuz]

Is it the responsiblity of the government to help billion dollar corporations?
Well, you tell me what should be done with these people?
Let them continue to lnguish in poverty and children suffer from hunger?
Please tell me what should happen with these people?

[ebanks84]

He can't tell you because he don't give a dam. Anybody who can say what he's saying evidently don't have a family or children to worry about. That's what's wrong with this country right now, the cold, apathetic bunch has taken over the good sense of those with empathy and heart. We need to care about each other first and foremost if we plan on evolving to being the best we can be.

[RightWingMarine]

No it is not the government's responsibility to bail out corporations. I know that both members of the left and right make assumptions (or profiling) of the other side but just because I don't support welfare to people doesn't mean I support welfare to corporations either.

What should be done with these people? Cut off all forms of welfare now. Let charities, friends, family and churches take care of this problem. These groups will see to it that no one abuses their good will. Those that need the help will get it, those that seek to live off the help will get tossed out. The government can't be that involved and allows abuse to happen. This in turn drags down the community.

[theotherfringe]

New Orleans should have been on the road to recovery a long time ago. Why are we not handling natural disasters better than we are in the 21 century??? From wildfires to hurricanes, more and more people are being left helpless and with little hope of aid from the U.S. government. Something has got to happen in Washington. FEMA is a worthless agency. The officials seem to be clueless.

[ebanks84]

It's not because your government don't want it to be. They were trying to ki-ll those people. And they are still doing a good job at it. They won't receive any decent help until Obama gets it to them. Bush never cared about those people and I'm sure you can see that now

[AlligatorShuz]

U.S. Senator Carl Levin & Senator Debbie Stabenow represents the State of Michigan. The City of Detroit according to the Census Bureau is the poorest big city in America but you would never know Senator Levin lives in the city of Detroit, this man does nothing for the city that he owns a home in... But everytime he is up for reelection he goes back to the 3,000 black churches in the city of Detroit and get up in their pulpits and tell nothing but lies. He brings no earmarks to the city of Detroit, and you see poverty every where you turn in that city. Detroit in the winter is a very cold city but you continue to see people freezing to death and peoples homes burning down because people are trying to keep warm.. Detroit also has to do nothing Congress person John Conyers and Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick...

[Ramirez]

Levin, Stabenow, Conyers, et al are Democrats. The black voters of Detroit will support them regardless of what they do or do not do for Detroit.

[RightWingMarine]

I live in Texas, Detroit has been a blighted area for decades. Why should a congressman throw more of my tax dollars at Detroit? It hasn't helped so far, why would it help now?

Are people's homes burning down because it's cold or because it's "devil's night?"

[AlligatorShuz]

Keep your ignorant comments to your self....

[ebanks84]

You need to read about your government and what it has been doing to the people it doesn't want in this country and maybe that will open your eyes to answering your own questions. You don't have a clue what people have been going through trying to survive under the bush administration.

[AlligatorShuz]

Your TAX DOLLARS? YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO IRAQ AND I DON'T HEAR YOU SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT THAT! THOSE PEOPLE ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DETROIT?

THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD MORE DANGEROUS THEN SINCERE INGORANCE AND CONSCIENOUS STUPIDITY....

[timetorevolt]

Do you object to FEMA assisting the victims of hurricane Ike in Galveston? Plus, you're not the only tax payer on this site. Besides, most of you're tax dollars went to Halliburton and Blackwater the last 5 years. I know that makes you feel better.

[AlligatorShuz]

White men riding in private jets, living in lavish mansions in Blooomfield Hills, Michigan go to Capitol Hill begging for 25 billion dollars and they get plesant responses. But when people representing the poor go to these same individuals asking for 10 million to feed, educate and house poor children these same people become angry and won't attend the hearings.

[xmw]

Kind of like how no time is ever wated getting help and supplies every year to those affected by fires in California but The people of N. Orleans cries fell on deaf ears for several days.

[ebanks84]

We need to take care of the American people for a change and let the rich take care of themselves. They got themselves in this financial mess and should get themselves out of it. There's no way we should be paying their debts while we are living like refugees.

[Cherubim]

Strange... none of the links to the html text of Senator John Edwards' July 2007 Cooper Union Speech
work anymore; nor does the link to the html text of his "Building One America" Speech work anymore.
Html copies are the only ones that allow you to copy and paste to another site.
Pdf form of the "Building One America" Speech is still available.
Here's the link
http://www.stanford.edu/group/scspi/pdfs/pathways/winter_2008/Edwards.pdf

[AlligatorShuz]

Where are all of these feel good organizations who always say they help the poor?
And children are hungry in America and all of these no good politicians who talk about the poor to get elected but when they take office you never hear from them again until it is time for them to campaign again and here they go again with the same old lies...

[ebanks84]

Ain't that the truth!

[helonias]

One Nation Under God

Who's kid said "you treat me as you treat the least of you".

How cool is that

[AlligatorShuz]

They want to bail out banks, automobile factories and insurance companies but they don't want to feed hungry children... All of the consertative talking heads and politicians will start to talk about welfare.... Something is wrong with a society who will gladly help the rich get back on their feet but gets mad when someone says help the poor....

[jitterbug]

Why does everyone in the Bush Adm. want to ban condumes, sex education, etc., but when the babies actually come, they don't want to give any money to support the children. Shame.....

[timetorevolt]

I ask the bible thumpers this question all the time.

[ohiomark]

50 years of unchecked liberalism in New Orleans is the problem.

Hurricane Katrina just blew the lid off of it and exposed it to the world.

[Cherubim]

What the Hell are you talking about.
There has been "100 years of racism in New Orleans" that's the problem.

[AlligatorShuz]

No 150 years of poverty. Alot of those people left out of the cotton fields only to escape to the inner cities and found nothing but being put in an area where everybody forgot.... Even the U.S. Census Bureau undercounted the people in New Orleans... Everybody keeps saying they didn't know there was that much poverty in New Orleans? Well, go and visit the northern part of the state and you will see people living in the middle of cotton fields living in shacks with tin roofs... I don't know if ti was liberal but it says the people in power in Louisiana don't care about its citizens. If they did they would make make available more money to some of their poorest school systems. And they would try to stem the drop out rate in high school from 70% in some areas. Anybody knows that illiteracy and poverty run together. You want to get people out of poverty educate them...

[Cherubim]

I stand corrected "150 years of racism" that's the problem with New Orleans.

[Paul]

I thought Louisianna was a solidly red state?

Don't conservative values fix this sort of thing?

[AlligatorShuz]

According to the 2000 U.S. Census blacks make up 51% of the population in the state of Louisiana. So it was the electorial college that was red. According to the 1860 U.S. Census Louisiana was the richest slave holding state and there were more African slaves than there were whites. But today they make up 60% of the people living in poverty in Louisiana and it is apperant they didn't have a serious Get Out To Vote campaign in that state. The mentality in some of those small towns reminds you of a slave plantation where certain whites in the town still tell blacks how to vote....

[ohiomark]

All politics are local.

The city of New Orleans has been run by Democrats the whole time.

This is the "Great Society" and the destruction of the African American family on display.

[Savetheworld]

This will go down as one of the worst chapters in American history. Hurricane Katrina revealed and continues to reveal the great disparities in America.

[ebanks84]

And if you keep reading, you'll find out that it was the Bush administration through H.A.A.R.P. that caused Hurrican Katrina in the first place, with the intention of destruction to weed out some more blacks. That's all. Read it for yourself.

[AlligatorShuz]

When Bobbt Jindal was going through Louisiana he was making all types of promises and now those same people who were in poverty when he ran for governor is still living in poverty and barely getting enough to feed their children. The school systems are horrible in some areas but the state has tons of colleges......

[Cherubim]

You have put your fingure on the key issues:
Much needed are Education and Literacy and access to "Stepping Stone" Jobs.

[Ramirez]

Bobby Jindal has only been governor for a year. He has not yet had time to cure the poverty of Louisiana.

[Cherubim]

Could not President Obama create a position in his administration that would allow
John and Elizabeth Edwards to do what they say they are willing to do
"concentrate on ending poverty in America"? If the economy continues to deteriorate,
more and more families could end up in poverty. President Obama could say:
"John Edwards put up or shut up, and the whole world is watching."
Click on the link and see the well thought out plan John Edwards proposed.http://www.johnedwards.com/issues/poverty/

[AlligatorShuz]

I like John Edwards but you will never get rid of poor people they will always be among us. But we can try to do something to help them.
Why should someone appoint John Edwards to do anything? He should use his notority to get the ball rolling and do like Jimmy Carter did with his organization. He should concerntate not only in New Orleans but the state of Louisiana....

[Cherubim]

AlligatorShuz, I don't disagree with you. I just think ending poverty should, also, be a
national U.S. governmenst priority.

[Ramirez]

We need a Great Society or a War on Poverty or something like that.