Closely related to both malnutrition and poverty, another health problem for migrant children is parasitic infestations, including bacterial, protozoan, viral, and worm infections. Studies in other regions identified a comparable prevalence of infections. Parasitic infections are detrimental to migrant children's nutrition status in addition to the harm of inadequate or imbalanced dietary intakes. They may also cause acute diarrhea and vomiting. Especially threatening to children is the fact that parasites radically decrease iron absorption.
Respiratory diseases are also related to poverty and poor sanitation.
Despite some improvement since the 1960s, migrant children are still the most disadvantaged group among the U.S. youth population. Health care for children of migrant families. Department of Labor. Exploring the risks. Exploring the risks, Part II, Hearing held in Washington, DC before the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.