Travel immunisations

[zenifa]

I am travelling with my DH and two DDs (2.5yo and 6mo) to Vanuatu for 8 days next month.
Both girls are up to date with their scheduled immunisations.
DD2 is fully breastfed and will not start solids til after our return.


Now for this trip, there is a recommendation that we all should be immunised for the following
1. Typhoid
2. Tetanus
3. Malaria - ie take anti-malarial medication.

I am doing some more research into the necessity for this - given length of our trip, likely exposure to these diseases and the side effects of these immunisations.

Have other parents given their children travel immunisations? If so
1. Where were you travelling?
2. How long was the trip?
3. What immunisations did you give your child (& yourself)?
4. Was there any side effects of the vax?
If you decided not to immunise, can you explain why?

Also anyone with any good websites with info are welcome to post here or PM me.

I am not keen to give my little girls any extra immunisations but at the same time I don't want them to be at risk. In terms of malaria, I will be taking some precautions to prevent exposure to mosquito bites.

Thanks!!

[faery]

hi
i've not travelled much with my ds, but before i had him i have travelled all over the world and never had any of the recommended vax. my ds is not vaxed so if we did go overseas, i wouldn't vax him.

however, seeing as how you are a vaxer and your girls are up to date, why bother?

the tetanus recomendation would most likely be directed at adults who would have had their last injection as children. if your kids have had all their shots, then they wouldn't need another.

typhoid.....well, who gets typhoid in this day and age?? really. maybe there are pockets of typhoid in tropical places but probably not at a resort.

anti-malaria medication is ghastly. it is the same medication they give you if you contract malaria, and it is hardcore. is the area you are going actually have malaria or is it just a general "going to the tropics, take anti malaria meds"???
better to just be cautious about mozzies, with repellant, and long sleeves. sleep under a mozzie net (bring your own if the place you are going doesn't provide them) and burn some mozzie coils once there.

if you were going for 8 months, maybe it would be worth the vax, but 8 days? probably will be fine, especially as your girls are already vaxed.

have a great trip!

[forbetoel]

Do you have a trusted G.P that you can talk to and get valid info from? That might be of some help. Personally for me, I wouldn't take my kids overseas without vaxxing them, I just couldn't take the risk, the worry would ruin my holiday.

On a lighter note...have fun, you lucky duck!!!

[Kiana's Mum]

I travelled to Vanuatu for a week with DD1 when she was 3 months old. She only had her standard vacs for her age and we did not get any extra vaccinations ourselves. We stayed on the mainland and in a resort and while we did do some day trips out and mixed with the locals I did not see any need for the recommended vacs. We were however up to date with our tetanus shots.
I have travelled to some pretty remote places in my time, Africa being one of them and did get the recommended vaccinations for those places but in my opinion Vanuatu was pretty risk free.
It is up to you of course as to what you decide to do but if you are doing normal touristy things and not hiking through remote bushland and things then you should be fine.
Good luck and enjoy your trip :)

[zenifa]

Thank you to all that have replied.

Aside from the diseases I mentioned in OP, other recommended diseases to vax against include
Diptheria and Hep A.
Given the girls are up to date with the scheduled vax, I'm not worried about Diptheria or Tetanus and after doing some internet research I'm not that keen on any of us getting the typhoid vax. Typhoid isn't rare in developing countries but vax is only effective in 60% of cases (according to WHO).
I've looked at homeopathics as anti-malarials, so that may be an option, as Vanuatu is rated high risk for malaria. Yes we will be taking precautions re:clothing, mozzie nets, repellant and not having the kids out at night or near lakes etc.
We are going to Espiritu Santo, the largest island in Vanuatu and staying at a resort so I think our risk level of getting these diseases is low.

[M O P]

I am so jealous you are going to Santo!!
I love Santo. Champagne beach & the Blue Hole are 2 of my fav places in the whole world.
It is the largest island- but not the most modern iykwIm?

Zenifa- did I read somewhere once before your DH used to live in Vanuatu?
My family lived in Port Vila- and Louganville briefly.

And my bro contracted malaria in Vila- I got it when we lived in the Solomon Islands but that was because my parents made a decision to stop taking the preventative meds as someone said they are pretty bad.

I guess you can take all the other necessary precautions against mozzies-
ie staying somewhere with fly screens, covering up your arms at night, using Aerogard etc

[faery]

, other recommended diseases to vax against include
Hep A.
.

hep A can be avoided by being careful about what/how you eat and use water.

when i was travelling i never used ice, always drank bottled water, brushed my teeth with bottled water, didn't eat food that needed to be washed.....that type of thing. those kinds of precautions will also keep away any gastro infections from bacteria. i got very sick in indonesia because i got slack and ate some dodgy food.

staying in a resort though, you should be pretty confident about the quality of the food and water and wouldn't have to worry about a hep a injection.

[zenifa]

I am so jealous you are going to Santo!!
I love Santo. Champagne beach & the Blue Hole are 2 of my fav places in the whole world.
It is the largest island- but not the most modern iykwIm?

Zenifa- did I read somewhere once before your DH used to live in Vanuatu?
My family lived in Port Vila- and Louganville briefly.

And my bro contracted malaria in Vila- I got it when we lived in the Solomon Islands but that was because my parents made a decision to stop taking the preventative meds as someone said they are pretty bad.

I guess you can take all the other necessary precautions against mozzies-
ie staying somewhere with fly screens, covering up your arms at night, using Aerogard etc

Yes my DH's family were missionaries and he lived in Santo for 6 yrs (age 6-12), so this trip is our family plus his parents, brother and his wife. Its 17rs since they've been back, so I'm sure its changed a bit since then! I've been with DH for nearly 15yrs and I've heard so much about Champagne Beach (seen pictures, heard stories), Blue Hole etc, I am so excited that in less than 2 weeks I'll be there!!
I'm going to see the GP this week about anti-malarials, although my friend (a homeopath) will be giving us something for that. We will certainly take all other precautions as mentioned.
Found out that the Typhoid vax is a live vaccine, I can't give it to DD2 anyway - as she had the Rotavirus oral vax (also a live vax) and you can't have live vaccines less than one month apart.

Faery - yes we've decided against the Hep A (I've already got immunity) for the kids, as we will be staying in a boutique resort and will be careful about what we eat and drink (DD1, DH and I, DD2 will still be exclusively breastfed).

[M O P]

the fact that Santo has a resort-
it's def changed!
Although we did visit Bokissa (sic?) Island when we were there.

My family were in Vila from 1988-1991- so about the same time I think.