The topic that interests me is immunizations. I have always been fascinated with the fact that getting a shot can prevent sometimes fatal diseases and illnesses, and has reduced instances of those diseases in the United States, and sometimes worldwide. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports “Routine immunization has eradicated smallpox from the globe and led to the near elimination of wild polio virus. Vaccines have reduced some preventable infectious diseases to an all-time low” (2011, para. 1). When I was growing up, chickenpox was something that was prevalent. Now, due to the vaccine licensed in 1995, “the number of cases of chickenpox had fallen 83%–93% by 2004” (Immunization Action Coalition, n.d., p. 1). I am amazed in the strides that have been made in immunizations over the years, even as recent as the approval for adults to get the shingles vaccine.
As a teacher, I am required to make sure that all children have the required immunizations before they can officially begin pre-school. I have had some parents drag their feet, and question the importance of immunizations. If they do not have the required immunizations, they cannot attend pre-school. I always tell families that it is for their child’s protection, as well as the protection of other children.
I chose to research immunizations in China. I have traveled in China and have a great interest in the Chinese culture. My family has interest in adopting from there someday.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 30 years ago, China had chosen “tuberculosis, diphtheria, neonatal tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis and measles — as the targets for an initiative called the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).” (World Health Organization, 2010, para. 2). In 2002, hepatitis B was added to the EPI. In 2008, additional immunizations included “rubella, mumps, hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis, and meningococcal meningitis types A and C (para. 4). 90 percent of the Chinese children receive vaccinations from the EPI list. Although in 2005, the government passed a law that these immunizations would be provided at no cost, barriers exist. Not all provinces have sufficient funding to cover the cost (para. 5). Some children live in remote areas and do not have adequate access to healthcare.
Having an understanding of this will help my family as we look into adoption, and what immunizations our child may face as they come to America.
References
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011, February). History of vaccine safety. Retrieved March 9, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Vaccine_Monitoring/history.html
Immunization Action Coalition. (n.d.) Chickenpox (Varicella): questions and answers
information about the disease and vaccines. Retrieved March 9, 2012 from http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4202.pdf
Hi Kristi,
ReplyDeleteI have two friends who adopted from China. If that opportunity arises for you while we are still in contact, I can give you their contact information. They each had unexpected encounters with the Chinese health care system. One in regards to their new baby girl and the other fell ill herself and experienced a Chinese emergency room which was quite different from the care we are accustomed to here.
Over the years I have only encountered three preschool families who opted not to have their child immunized and interestingly they were all chiropracters. They still had reservations about the connection between immunizations and autism. As our text states, the hypothesis that the MMR immunization causes autism has been disproved repeatedly (Berger, 2009).
Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.