The impact of child poverty: a pediatric challenge

Child poverty is one of the greatest threats to children's rights and a key determinant of health, with long-lasting effects due to the vulnerability of minors, who depend on adult care. Beyond lacking basic resources, it negatively impacts physical, emotional and educational development, perpetuating social inequality. The UN promotes a multidimensional measurement integrating health, education, housing and social participation. Child poverty limits social mobility and reduces productivity. In Spain, its cost was 4.1% of children and adolescents in 2023, with 30.3% of minors at risk of poverty or social exclusion, especially in single-parent households and large families. Pediatricians should incorporate psychosocial assessment into their practice and encourage multidisciplinary collaboration, which should be reflected in specialist training programs. Investing in children is not only an ethical responsibility, but a crucial strategy for the sustainable and equitable development of the country.