“Dysphagia, or difficulty with swallowing, is a sorely neglected medical disorder that impacts as many as 15 million Americans, with approximately one million people annually receiving a new diagnosis of the condition.”
– VitalStim Therapy by Chattanooga Group. Dysphagia Fact Sheet. 2005

Dysphagia is most common among elderly patients, but trouble swallowing is not isolated to the geriatric patient population. Dysphagia can be a side effect of other, serious health problems. Diseases and conditions that directly or indirectly cause difficulty swallowing are those that affect the brain or nervous system and those that affect the esophagus.

“Immunisation helps avert an estimated 2.5 million child deaths each year, as well as millions more bouts of illness and disability.”
– Access Campaign, Giving Developing Countries the Best Shot: an Overview of Vaccine Access and R&D. 2010

A child dies every 20 seconds from a vaccine-preventable disease, and more than 70% of those children live in 10 countries, mostly in Asia and Africa, according to UNICEF. Despite the importance of vaccines, vaccine administration rates remain low in many countries. In addition to the usual obstacles to accessing healthcare in developing nations, vaccine administration comes with its own set of challenges, which include cost, transportation and storage and multiple doses.

“As of 2013, of the estimated 35.3 million people worldwide living with HIV, approximately 3.2 million are children under 15 years of age, with 91 percent of these children residing in sub-Saharan Africa … further, nearly 700 children are newly infected with HIV every day.”
– Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. About Pediatric AIDS.

“Innocent as a child” is a phrase often heard in the United States. However, many children, particularly those in developing nations, do not have the luxury of such innocence. They must face harsh realities at young ages. One such harsh reality is pediatric HIV/AIDS, which continues to spread because of limited diagnosis and treatment options.