Pandemic Affected the Fostering Process

With a specialty degree in orthodontics, Dr. Kathryn Grady from New Jersey provides pediatric dentistry and orthodontics services for infants to adolescents, including children with special needs. Passionate about children, Dr. Kathryn Grady enjoys raising and learning from her adopted daughter at her home in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is looking into fostering a child.

Similar to other processes, the pandemic has affected fostering process and everyone involved. These include biological and foster parents, foster homes, social workers, and everyone involved in the process. For starters, more parents are coming forward seeking assistance from foster homes as they cannot take care of their kids due to the economic downturn, while child abuse cases increase due to stress. The restricted movement has also given families more time to discuss and mull over the decision, time previously taken by work transit, travel, and other activities.

Traditionally, the foster home undertakes a background check on the foster families, followed by in-person visits to inspect the house. With restricted movement, most foster homes inspect homes via video calls. However, video calls pose a challenge, as it is impossible to gauge the family’s suitability or demeanor thoroughly. Thus, some evaluations necessitate in-person visits with precautions in place. The restriction also affects the mode of training required, ranging from car seat safety to CPR. These classes either take place via video calls or under strict precautions.

Travel restrictions, especially interstate flights, have been severely affected. Those seeking to foster have opted for road travel, often taking two to three days to reach their destination, significantly increasing the costs when you factor in overnight stays. Add on the limited number of visitors in the fostering homes and who is allowed. Typically, the meeting would have the parents, foster home representative, or social worker for the process. Most homes allow only one person, thus complicating decision-making.

Oral Health Problems at a Young Age

New Jersey native Dr. Kathryn Grady owned Kathryn A Grady DDS MS for almost two decades. A dental specialist in New Jersey, Dr. Kathryn Grady attends to the advanced dental needs of underserved children.

A study from Advanced Dentistry of Butler showcases that dental problems at a young age lead to health conditions in the future. The study evaluated more than 750 children between six and 12 years old in 1980. Only five percent of the children showed no signs of oral problems such as cavities, filled teeth, or bleeding gums.

The researchers followed up on their study from 2001 to 2007 when they conducted a cardiovascular evaluation. The follow-up found that children who had at least one sign of oral health problems were twice as likely to develop thicker arteries in adulthood. A thick artery is a condition in which a person has the two internal layers of the artery thicker than they would usually be and is a condition that can cause stroke or heart attack.