Child Development and Public Health

Immunization

Immunization is the process of protecting a person against a disease, via antibodies (Berger, 2012). Immunization can happen naturally, when someone survives a disease, or medically, usually via a small dose of the virus that stimulate the production of antibodies and thus reduces a person immune also called vaccination (Berger, 2012).

Success with Immunization

Immunization protects children not only from temporary sickness but also from serious complications, including deafness, blindness, sterility, and meningitis (Berger, 2012).  It is important to remember that sometimes the damage from illness is not apparent until later in life. For an example, childhood mumps can cause sterility and doubles the risk of schizophrenia (Berger, 2012). I am very thankful for all the immunizations I got when I was kid because not many children in developing and poor countries get all the immunization to fight against various diseases.

Problems with Immunization

Not everyone find the idea about immunization helpful or preferable. Many parents are concerned about potential side effects. According to Berger, the biggest problem with immunization is that no effective vaccine has been found for AIDs, malaria, cholera, typhoid, and shigellosis, which are all devastating disease in the developing world (2012). It is very sad to know that public health measures have not reached many rural areas of the world. About 2 to 2 millions children die each year from diphtheria, tetanus, and measles because they have not been immunized (Berger, 2012).

Hopefully, after reading this post, a mind of people would change about the negative thoughts about immunization. Lets all hope that all the children deserve to live a happy life…without being the victim of terrible diseases. 

 References

Source: Berger, K. S. (2012). The developing person through childhood (6th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

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