Poverty Cognitive Development

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EFFECTS OF POVERTY ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Abstract
This paper explores the effects that poverty has on cognitive and brain development in childhood. Living in poverty places children at very high risk for problems across a variety of domains, including schooling, behavioral regulations, and health. Hanson, J.L., Hair, N., Sheen, D.G., Shi, F., Gilmore, J.H., Wolfe, B.L., Pollak, S.D. (2013). Environmental stressor of poverty results in many adverse effects on children, none of which are good. Further long-term poverty or low SES is associated with both mental and physical development. Some of the most consistent adverse effects are on language and vocabulary, phonological awareness, and syntax at many different stages of development. Perkins, …show more content…
Low SES families lack access to necessary resources to support children’s health, education, as well as resources for social, emotional, and cognitive development (Azma, S. (2013. Poverty places children at risk for malnutrition, maternal malnutrition, environmental toxins, and insufficient early sensory stimulation and limited educational opportunities. (Aznam S. (2013). In addition, effects of poverty can be contributed to environment stressors, financial hardships and exposure to toxins. Other contributors include family conflict, lack of proper parenting skills. Comparisons of children from low SES to those of more affluence also indicate poorer children experience more physical and mental health issues such as behavioral issues, attention span, and mood disorders (Azma. S. …show more content…
Effects of poverty on language development may be related to how the deficits in brain chemicals reduce brain development resulting in poor phonemic skills as compared to children from higher SES. Studies have proven that the left inferior fontal gyrus role required for proper language function is less activated in children of low SES and is also related to reduced reading abilities. Such deficiencies are then connected ability to learn language and memory. (Perkins, S.C., Finegood, E.D., Swain, J.E.) One explanation for lower performance in school may be connected to the effects of lower language

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