Child Development and Public Health

The public health topic I chose is breastfeeding. This topic is meaningful to me because I know the many health benefits that babies receive from breastfeeding.  Breastfed babies are smarter than formula fed babies. There immune system is stronger, meaning they are less susceptible to becoming sick. In Africa the AIDS epidemic could threaten breastfeeding because the virus can be transmitted through breastmilk. Only 38% of children less than six months of age in the developing world are exclusively breastfed.  This very low rate in the uptake of a practice that contributes to the health and well-being of both the child and the mother is of utmost public health importance and requires urgent intervention. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) “breastfed children have at least six times greater chance of survival in the early months than non-breastfed children.” The potential impact of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is especially important in developing countries which are characterized by a high burden of disease and low access to clean water and adequate sanitation. It is said that promoting EBF is the most effective child health intervention currently feasible for implementation in low-income populations that cannot afford or sustain the use of safe infant formula. This new knowledge has impacted my future, I will inform expecting mothers of the health benefits of breastfeeding for their child.