This week we take a look at health and sickness.
A world without adults is also a world without doctors, hospitals or medicine.
Imagine if you had a headache or toothache and there were no painkillers. Imagine if you came down with tonsillitis or bronchitis and there were no antibiotics. Imagine if you broke your leg and there was nobody there to X-ray it or to set it with a cast. Welcome to…
The world of the Tribe
The biggest fear for people living in this world was the Virus and it was a day of celebration when the antidote was finally discovered.
But there are so many other viruses and infections, some of which have been suppressed over time. What would happen if they came back? The Bubonic plague. Leprosy. Polio. Words to strike fear in to the hearts of the bravest warrior.
New Fears
The people who inhabit this post apocalyptic world have struggled to come to terms with life without adults. Most of them miss their families and friends. They miss their homes and their possessions. But they are slowly making the most of their new lives. They are starting to recover from the fear of contracting the dreaded virus and are learning how to find food, shelter and warmth. But there are problems starting to crop up. Things they never even thought about are starting to emerge…
We have recently looked at the way that pregnancy and childbirth can affect women and their babies without the help of health care. There are many other areas that we take help for granted.
People such as the Guardian could have done with a bit of psychiatric help. Lex could have benefited from the help of a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Paul would have flourished if more people understood sign language, perhaps could have had an operation to improve his hearing.
Trudy needed medical support when she was suffering from postnatal depression.
Might Zoot, Zandra and Dal, even Bob have survived if there had been medical help just around the corner?
Immunisations
In most countries the health authorities have discovered that immunisation is the answer to the problem of several diseases and infections.
As babies we are immunised against such things as mumps, measles, rubella, whooping cough, tuberculosis and polio. Some countries need to immunise against Hepatitis amongst other things.
There can be side effects to these injections and some parents decide not to get their children immunised. Health professionals however recommend that the majority of people do need these immunisations to avoid the spread of disease.
There are no immunisations in the world of The Tribe.
Vitamins
A lot of people take vitamins nowadays to supplement their diets. More and more of us are living on processed food or takeaways, items that are convenient to our busy lifestyles. This means that we are often missing out on the important nutrients we need to keep our bodies in optimum condition.
Vitamins in the world of the Tribe? There are no companies to produce any.
Pain Relief
We are so used to being able to reach for an aspirin or a paracetamol if we have a pain. Some people have to take painkillers regularly if they are suffering from arthritis, cancer or any other such debilitating condition.
The painkillers will have run out by now in the world of The Tribe.
Other Care
There are physiotherapists and occupational therapists, osteopaths and psychiatrists, naturopaths and homoeopaths, GPs and surgeons, dentists and hygienists. There is somebody to see for any problem that arises in this modern world. We can even visit a cosmetic surgeon if we are unhappy with our appearance in some way.
No such luxury for those who live in the world of The Tribe.
Tribal Life
There is no medical help in this world without adults.
Medicine supplies are running low and there are no pharmaceutical labs to produce more. People would not know how much medicine to take safely even if there was enough to go round.
People might start to die earlier and life could revert back to the days of old when life expectancy was the mid forties.
There are no dentists, there will be no fluoride in the water and these people might find that their teeth start dropping out at an early age. A definite concern for these Tribes who are already struggling to survive.