Younger children are more likely to live in poverty in Canada than older children. Poor children in Canada have poorer health, are more likely to be hyperactive, to have emotional and behavioural problems, and to get in trouble with the law. They live in inferior, cramped housing, and have a much greater chance of being raised in care facilities such as foster homes or children's aid residences. Homelessness Theoretically, there are no homeless children in Canada. However, there are children living in shelters and some who live on the street for varying periods of time.
All Canadian children have health insurance and receive basic health care services as a right.
Childhood immunization Almost all Canadian babies are immunized against preventable childhood illnesses, including measles, tetanus, and polio. Both the rate of low weight births and the infant mortality rate have been steadily declining in Canada. Preterm babies are more likely to have low birth weights, but being a firstborn and female are also risk factors. Women under age 20 and over age 40 have the highest relative risk of having a low birth weight infant, but first-time mothers and smokers are also at risk. In 1986, the infant mortality rate for children of First Nations living on reservations was a shocking 17.2 deaths per 1,000 live births.