What is the Child Watch Visitation Program?

Metro RegionTHE BOSTON GLOBE • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 1992BCH gives viewof children's health fightBy Diego Ribadeneira. GLOBE STAFFThey are the youngest victims. part of thelitany of grim statistics about the sad state ofthe nation's children that, children's advocatesassert, elicits much hand-wringing but not nearlyenough action.So in an effort to go beyond the seeminglyendless slJ'eam of reports and studies, the Chilodren's Defense Fund - one of the country'smost prominent child advocacy organizations ­yesterday took some local business leaders on atour of one of the front lines in the struggle tobetter the lot ofchildren - the pediatric ward atBoston City Hospital.There they saw the faces behind the numbers.Babies who had tested positive for HIV,the virus that causes AIDS. Babies who weremalnourished and failing.to thrive. One youngboy who was sufferring from lead poisoning. Infantsborn to mothers who had used cocaine."We can all read the numbers and statsistics,but I don't think they evoke the kind ofresponse needed to mobilize on behalf of children,"said Dr. Barry Zuckerman, director ofthe division of developmental and behavioral pediatricsat City Hospital. '"Those of us whospend every day caring for these children walkaround with a kind of indignant fury""Trying to provide a catalyst for greater ae-"tion by local decision makers, the Children's DefenseFund has launched CJuld Watch campaignsin about 30 cities across the nation inwhich leaders in various areas are takeiJ to chilodren's hospitals, shelters and other sites to wit·ness the dire straits affecting many children.At the end ofthe tour, Judith Kurland, Boston'sHealth and Hospitals commissioner, askedthe 20 representatives from the United Way,Harvard University, H