HealthTree Blog

In the days before immunizations were developed, and widespread vaccination programs were implemented, it was not uncommon for diseases in childhood to claim many young lives. Such diseases included chicken pox, diphtheria, measles, mumps, polio, and whooping cough.

Some of these were not and have never been considered as severe as others. However, even the ones that are or were considered less serious could cause permanent physical or mental damage or even death if complications developed. Once immunizations became commonplace, however, the incidents of complications of death were greatly lessened. In some circumstances, as in the case of smallpox, the disease was eliminated completely, at least in the more developed countries.

Sadly today, diseases that were common in childhood in the earlier centuries, and indeed up until the middle of the 20^th century, are again on the rise. This is due to a number of factors. These factors can include, but are by no means limited to: parents who believe that immunizations may cause a number of problems, including autism and other conditions; the ease with which people can travel from country to country, sometimes unknowingly carrying any number of diseases still common in childhood in a particular country back home.

For a while, immunization programs were considered so necessary that admission to school was not possible until one had “had the shots”. This is still so in some places; however, as more and more parents are taking the initiative in deciding whether or not to vaccinate, consideration is being given to changing or even setting aside vaccination requirements.

This can become dangerous, especially if any of the diseases that were common in childhood so many years ago begin to resurface in larger numbers, as is believed to be happening. It should be remembered that it was immunizations that led to a decline in widespread epidemics, some of which claim many lives.