I’m an English major in college, and my favorite poet is the first generation of romantic William Wordsworth. On the one hand, there are names, the best example Principle Determinism In the history of English literature.
But what I like most about Wordsworth is that he acts as a bridge between the formal, firm style of poetry before him, and the dawn of a new era that respects personal emotions and experiences – any good and evil. All of this in my favorite Wordsworth poems come together:”Surprised by joytransparent
Love, faithful love reminds you of you –
But how can I forget you? What force is passed,
Even the least split in an hour,
I’m so fascinated that I’m blind
My worst loss?
In ancient language, “you” etc., this verse describes a father who temporarily dispersed his losses from them. The “surprise” in “surprise” and “surprise of joy” is that even the shortest moment, the poet does not have to be consumed by the “severeest loss”.
Like most Wordsworth’s poems, “surprised by joy” is also drawn from his personal experience-in this case, Lost his daughter, Catherine, in 1812when she was only three years old. Wordsworth and his wife Mary have five children, two of whom died young: Catherine and their son Thomas, who died from measles just half a year after Catherine’s death.
Losing two young children in less than one calendar year is a sadness that I can’t understand. But this was unbearable at the time. Almost every three children In 1800, in England, he died before the age of 5. In 1900, the death rate of children in the United States was nearly one-fifth. As my Vox colleague Anna North recently wrote. Looking back at the complete process of human history, it is estimated that Almost every two children He died before reaching his 15th birthday.
Perhaps it may be comforting to pretend that past parents would not be subject to death by their children, because it is so common. After all, family size Once much bigger,part because The ubiquitous rate of child mortality.
However, Wordsworth’s lines are buried in the cemetery where the cemetery belongs. In 2025, 1812, in 2000 BC, the death of a toddler is the worst thing that any parent can possibly have.
The most important number in the world
You might be wondering: “Where is the good news?” Here is: Now, childhood mortality rates are much lower than before. Most importantly, it continues to decline.
In 1990, there were 12.8 million children Death before the age of 5but the figures have fallen by more than 60% in the years since the beginning of the year. according to New data released by the United Nations this weekIn 2023, the number of deaths under the age of 5 dropped to 4.8 million.
In Vox’s Perfect (the part I run), we want to consider the sharp drop in child mortality as the most important statistic in the world for several reasons:
- If the child can reach his fifth birthday Significantly increased They have opportunities to live fulfilling lives. Taking into account overall life expectancy It has also been greatly increasedwhich could mean the difference between a few years of life and a lengthening of 70 years or more. Decades ago, there were thousands of children still alive today, which would add up to billions of years of extra life.
- Child mortality is one of the most important indicators of a country’s development. As shown above, wealthy countries like the UK and the US have made progress in keeping children alive, but recently poorer countries have made great progress. (Child mortality rate A staggering 81% drop Between 1980 and today in India. )
- The reduction in child mortality may be the best example of the international community setting goals and making significant progress. In 2000, the United Nations aim The child mortality rate will be reduced to two-thirds of that in 1990 by 2015. Global health is a highlight compared to struggles with climate change.
- We do not need economic motivation to reduce child deaths, but reduced child mortality is also associated with improving economic performance. In poor countries, household sizes drop to more manageable levels, while more future workers can survive to a productive age.
How did we get here – where are we going?
There are no secret formulas to reduce child mortality. Improved prenatal, delivery and postnatal care both keep children energized during the first few months. Better hygiene and nutrition can prevent early deaths of water-borne diseases and malnutrition.
Of course, vaccines have saved millions of children from once common killers, such as measles, diphtheria and polio. (Let me say it out loud to the back row again, especially when any of you It happens to be currently managing the Ministry of Health and Human Services: vaccine!)
Despite its enormous success, 4.8 million children (about the population of Phoenix) still died on their fifth birthday, exactly 4.8 million. The world will have to reduce child mortality by about 30% to achieve New UN goals Essentially end preventable child deaths 2030.
Unfortunately, we don’t adopt this trajectory. While child deaths are still declining, progress has been slowing down, that’s Foreign aid cuts in the United States and other countries. The highest childhood mortality rate found today African countries outside the Sahara are extremely poor Aid will be the difference between life and death.
In the United States, Stay away from children’s vaccines There is the risk of reintroducing a long-term killer in children. The fact that an uninoculated child in Texas Death from measles recently – The disease that Wordsworth’s son Thomas returned should scare us all without virus protection.
Whether it is through restoring the most effective form of foreign aid or reestablishing our trust in saving millions of vaccines, our ability to ultimately end preventable child deaths. We can make sure that one day no parents will encounter the pain that William Wordsworth and countless parents have suffered before and after. Such achievements will be a continuous happiness.
The version of this story originally appeared in The Good Newsletter. Register here!
