It was tougher to survive in the 50s…
In the 1950s, children in the UK were primarily killed by infectious diseases that are now largely preventable, including polio, measles, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and whooping cough. Significant polio epidemics occurred, with up to 8,000 cases annually in the early 1950s, while the 1957–1958 "Asian Flu" pandemic caused high mortality.
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
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Major Causes of Child Mortality in 1950s UK:
Poliomyelitis (Polio): Early 1950s saw major outbreaks with roughly 8000 paralytic cases annually before the vaccine.
Infectious Diseases: Periodic epidemics of measles, whooping cough, diphtheria, and rubella were common, alongside infections like pneumonia and typhoid.
1957–1958 Influenza Pandemic: The H2N2 pandemic caused significant deaths.
Tuberculosis: While declining, it remained a significant killer of children and young people.
Congenital Anomalies: Though not mentioned specifically for the 1950s in the results, the late 50s began to see defects associated with Thalidomide.
Environmental Factors: Infections caused by poor living conditions persisted despite improvements in housing post-WWII.
BBC
BBC
+6
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