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• Analyze the impact of welfare reform on the health of children from disadvantaged families. • Welfare reform is associated with worse physical health among children. • Children have decreased healthcare utilization and are more likely to be covered by private insurance. • Results have implications for the long-run wellbeing of children affected by welfare reform. I examine the impact of the implementation of the 1990s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, commonly referred to as welfare reform, on objective and subjective measures of child health, healthcare utilization, and insurance coverage. I find that exposure to welfare reform in childhood is associated with an increased likelihood of chronic physical health conditions, lower healthcare utilization, and a higher rate of private insurance coverage. Given the evidence in the literature of the importance of childhood health, these findings potentially have significant ramifications for future adult health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]