Epilogue

Abstract

This conference has clarified a number of basic issues. If we expect to improve the health of our children, we must change our philosophy about social welfare and about looking after children. We have always considered individualism our ideal, and the concept is rooted firmly in our frontier spirit and our system of free enterprise. European thought is oriented more toward interdependence, with greater emphasis on the well-being of the group. How we treat our children is influenced heavily by our philosophy, as the responsibility rests with each individual family. Except in the event of what we define as child abuse, representing a tiny fraction of ineffective and damaging parental behavior, we place very few legal or social limitations on parents. Children are a national resource, and responsibility for their welfare is shared by every member of society. As Dr Verbrugge has observed, what we need in the United States is more solidarity and less solitariness, less individuality. This is the direction we must now pursue. The United States needs a children's policy; our guests have made this clear. Health care cannot be separated from all the other factors that influence the well-being of children. We have learned about grants that families get at birth, subsidized day care available to all, lengthy parental leave after childbirth, and paid leave when children are sick. We have a long way to go, but rational child health policy is a good start. Some feel that we must do everything at once to avoid further fragmentation. Barring a revolution in this country, this is simply not possible.