Child Development and Public Health

 The reason I chose Immunization because I always wondered do we really need all of those vaccines. The textbook tells us that immunization primes the body immune system to resist particular diseases while the definition said it is the process a person is made immune or resistant to an infectious disease by giving a vaccine. Immunizations can protect us from short term sickness and complications. I’ve always noticed when I took my daughters for their vaccinations they would have a fever after some of them. Studies show that in the United States of America infants and children are recommended to receive 14 different vaccines which is 49 doses by age six. In Japan children receive 6 vaccines in twelve doses by age 5, what a big difference is what I thought. Japan has two categories for vaccines, one is routine vaccination designated by a vaccination law and the other is voluntary. For the routine vaccinations, they are all free if you get a coupon mailed to you from Municipal Health Center. Once you receive coupons you make an appointment. The other in Japan is voluntary which is not free, the cost depends on what type of shot your getting.

 It had been researched that some vaccines such as Hepatitis B which is given hours after birth is primarily transmitted through sexual contact or by using dirty needles. So ask yourself if this is given to a baby and obviously a healthy mother, why? During prenatal care a mother get all kinds of test ran to make sure she and the baby are alright. When babies are 2 months they receive Diphtheria and Tetanus which is a problem in developing countries. One case for every one million people had Diphtheria in the United States. While having a tetanus vaccine for lockjaw which isn’t contagious was a waste of time. Normally when an object is contaminated that’s when a tetanus vaccine is needed. There is a vaccine for chicken pox and now shingles for those people over 60 who has had chicken pox before. Chicken pox use to be very common, Center for Disease Control says that there is only 2 doses needed and is 90% effective and prevents people from getting chicken pox. What happens to the other 10% of people?  Fast forward to now, daily I see commercials about shingles on television. In 2006 is when they started vaccinating for people with shingles, the United States only have one vaccine called Zostavax that has been approved by the food and drug administration. It’s also been approved that people over 50 can get the vaccine.

Autism is something that is on the rise now. There have been many movie stars speaking out about it because they have children who has been diagnosed with Autism. Some people think that having your children vaccinated is the reason children develop Autism. Studies show that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing Autism. There is an ingredient called thimerosal which is mercury based that people feel is the cause of Autism. Nine studies were done in 2003 and those studies found no links with Autism and thimerosal containing vaccines.

 This information I feel will make an impact on my future work because I work with children and immunizations are important in this day and age. There are so many diseases out and it is truly better to be safe than sorry. I work in a Head Start center and all children have to be vaccinated before they can start school. Different viruses are on the rise from people going to foreign countries and not knowing they have contracted anything, they carry it back to the United States.