The growth and development status of homeless children entering shelters in Boston

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Homelessness Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Emergency shelters serve vulnerable populations, including children.
• Understanding the health and developmental status of children entering shelters is crucial for targeted interventions.
• The Boston Health Care for the Homeless Project provides a unique dataset for this characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the demographic, socioeconomic, and health profiles of children admitted to Boston family emergency shelters.
• To assess the developmental status of these children using the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST).
• To identify potential health needs and service gaps among this population.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study analyzing intake interview data from 10 family shelters and one hotel in Boston.
• Data collected by pediatric nurse practitioners included child demographics, family structure, socioeconomic factors, and health history.
• Children were weighed, measured, and underwent the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST).

Main Results:

• 213 children from 133 families were interviewed; 94% lived with their mothers, and 92% were under 5 years old.
• The majority of families were Black (65%) and received public assistance (Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Medicaid, food stamps).
• Anthropometric measurements were comparable to national low-income samples, but 4.7% of children had abnormal or questionable DDST results.

Conclusions:

• Children entering Boston shelters are predominantly very young, from single-mother, minority households, and reliant on public assistance.
• While physical health indicators were similar to national low-income samples, a notable percentage exhibited potential developmental concerns.
• Findings highlight the need for accessible developmental screening and support services for children experiencing homelessness.