A Snapshot of Sick Kids
In 1995, the most recent year for which statistics are available, only two children were afflicted by polio. What else do numbers from the National Center for Health Statistics tell us about child and infant health?
* Number of whooping cough cases in 1995, all ages: 5,137
* Infant mortality rate in 1996 (deaths per 1,000 live births): 7.2
* Percentage of babies born at low birth weight (less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces) in 1996: 7.4%
* Number of mumps cases in 1995, all ages: 906
* Number of measles cases in 1995, all ages: 281
* Number of German measles cases in 1995, all ages: 128
* Number of pneumonia cases in 1994, under age 5: 1.1 million
* Number of pneumonia cases in 1994, ages 5 to 17: 550,000
* Number of influenza cases in 1994, under age 5: 7.6 million
* Number of influenza cases in 1994, ages 5 to 17: 22.9 million
* Number of acute ear infections in 1994, under age 5: 12.8 million
* Number of acute ear infections in 1994, ages 5 to 17: 6.7 million
* Number of common cold cases in 1994, under age 5: 14 million
* Number of common cold cases in 1994, ages 5 to 17: 14.5 million
* Number of chickenpox cases in 1995, all ages: 120,624