Child Health Day-also known as National Child Health Day-is a day that’s observed on the first Monday in October. It’s a day that recognizes the need for children to have adequate healthcare in order to remain healthy and grow up strong. It’s also a day to look for ways to improve access to healthcare for low-income families. And the final reason for the creation of this holiday is to educate the citizens of the U.S to make them aware of the necessity of medical care for all children in the country.

The History Of Child Health Day

In 1928, the U.S Congress issued a joint resolution enabling the President of the U.S to issue a proclamation yearly to recognize Child Health Day. When this resolution was first passed, the holiday was set to occur yearly on May 1st and it remained that way for the next 32-years. Then, in 1960, the date was changed from the 1st of May to the first Monday in October.

An interesting fact about this observance, however, was that it was observed before Congress even issued the proclamation in 1928. The American Federation of Labor and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs pressed U.S President Coolidge to issue a Child Health Day proclamation while the bill was still winding its way through Congress.

Facts About Children’s Health In The U.S

To illustrate the importance of this observance day in the U.S and the need for better healthcare access for all children, we’ve researched and uncovered the following facts.

Children Die From Maltreatment Every Year In The U.S

Every year, children die from maltreatment and 80% of those children are at the hands of their own parents. In 2013 alone, over 1,500 children died from maltreatment.

Too Many U.S Children Are In Poor Health

Approximately 3.1% of the children age 5-11 in the U.S are in fair or poor health. About 4.6% of U.S children miss 11 or more days of school over the current year because of illness or injury.

Obesity Among Children In The U.S

In the U.S., approximately 20% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 years old are obese according to the CDC.

Observing Child Health Day

This observance day can be observed by promoting proper child healthcare access for all children. People can share the word about this holiday on social media using the hashtag #ChildHealthDay to spread the word about it. For those who really want to be politically active in the promotion of this day, they can take the time to write their representatives to lobby for better access to healthcare for all children.

Another way for people to observe this day is by making sure their children are healthy. They can schedule their child’s next doctor visit, can ensure that all of their vaccinations are current, and can schedule their next dental appointment. It’s also a good day for parents to examine their children’s diet and activity levels to make sure that they eat healthily and get the exercise that they need.