Child Development and Public Health

Child Development and Public Health I choose immunizations, because I think it is a vital subject in the early childhood education arena. Due to the fact that younger children are so small their immune systems are very sensitive to every little germ or virus that is floating around in the air around them, especially newborns, and infants. This is a very controversial subject. I always grew up to believe that you have to have all of your shots before entering into school. It was not until a couple of years ago that I began to have 2nd thoughts about immunizations when I heard about it in the media and how they could have a negative impact on some children. I was a little confuse and began to think should I continue to maintain my own children’s’ vaccinations or not. That same year while I was teaching pre-k, there was one little girl that always stayed sick, it seam like if some sneezed, then she would catch it, but it would be worse than other children. I was called in the director’s office and she wanted to make me aware that one of my students did not have any vaccinations. (It was that little girl) I quickly stated is that okay and she replied by saying, yes if it is against her religion, and she had to have a paper that is signed and notarized. That was something new to me because I was always under the impression that all children had to have an updated shot record before entering childcare. I began to I feel as if I didn’t keep my children’s shot records updated then I would be neglecting them because I did not want them to suffer just as this little girl was suffering . In China they too view children receiving immunizations as being very important. Families that could afford vaccinations were certain to make sure that their children received 12 different vaccinations for the following diseases: tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis, and meningococcal meningitis types A and C. With the assistance of WHO, which was designed to finding financial assistance to aid those families who are not capable of affording immunizations for their children; more children are now receiving vaccinations. “What's more, overall reported immunization rates are high compared with other countries: 90 per cent of children receive EPI vaccines, and the rates of many of the target diseases have fallen sharply in the past three decades. “ The WHO is also doing research and trying to eliminate measles, and reduce the hepatitis B infection. The information that I have learned will impact my future by, providing me the motivation of advocating for the importance of childhood immunizations, not only in the US but all over the world. If a child is not healthy then it is hard for them to perform at their best. www2.wpro.who.int/china/sites/epi