Health and child survival

Seven Child Killers

1. Childbirth Complications
Birth is perilous in the developing world, where each year some 4 million babies die in the first month of life. Preterm birth, asphyxiation, and severe infections cause the majority of the deaths. Babies – and often their mothers – perish because they don’t have access to medical care, or the facilities are inadequate and the attendants ill-trained to deal with complications. World Vision’s response: Pre- and post-natal care for mothers; training for midwives and traditional birth attendants; improving access to skilled health professionals and health care facilities.

2. Pneumonia
A respiratory infection, pneumonia fills children’s lungs with pus and mucus until they cannot function properly. It’s caused by a virus or bacteria, often occurring when children are exposed to smoke from indoor fires or poorly vented cooking stoves. Pneumonia kills 2 million children each year. World Vision’s response: Working with families to develop safe cooking practices, including cooking outdoors or installing proper ventilation.

3. Diarrhea
Diarrhea causes 1.8 million deaths among children each year. Caused by bacteria or parasites from contaminated water, diarrhea causes dehydration that leads to loss of muscle strength and exhaustion. World Vision’s response: Treating diarrhea with oral rehydration solution (ORS), an inexpensive mix of glucose, salt, and water; providing access to clean water by digging and improving wells; teaching good hygiene practices.

4. Malaria
Malaria is transmitted by the bite of a female mosquito that causes high fever, chills, sweating, and vomiting. Some 850,000 children die of malaria each year. World Vision’s response: Providing insecticide-treated bed nets and malaria education for children and families in World Vision project areas.

5. Measles
The virus is characterized by a fever, cough, and a red, blotchy rash. It’s transmitted by airborne droplets from the coughs and sneezes of infected people, and it causes 400,000 child deaths each year. World Vision’s response: Vaccinating children against measles.

6. HIV/AIDS
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, leaving children vulnerable to a multitude of other diseases. HIV is most often passed to children from parents, which can occur during pregnancy, during childbirth, and breastfeeding. Kills 350,000 children each year. World Vision’s response: Providing testing and training for mothers, teaching them to avoid contracting HIV and, for those already infected, strategies to avoid passing the virus to their children.

7. Malnutrition
Hunger and poor nutrition sets the stage for disease overwhelming a child’s body. In sub-Saharan Africa, 24 percent of children younger than 5 are estimated to be moderately or severely underweight; in South Asia, 41 percent of children are underweight. Malnutrition is estimated to be an underlying cause in one-third of child deaths. World Vision’s response: Targeting children under 5 and pregnant mothers with food in hunger-prone areas; providing food aid; monitoring children’s height and weight.