injections

[goatfarmnga]

I never thought of Malaria and Hepatitis until I read this...If none of you expats have used the shots..Do you think I will need them along with my 3 yr old living in a campos/rural area/ situation? I have been to several places and got the worst case of Pink eye in history (My opinion.. ) In the Phillippines..But never thought of malaria..uuhhh Pam

[Ken]

Doubt it, but don't know the area. You should check with people from that area to see whether it is a problem there.

[goatfarmnga]

Thans Ken we are calling the DR tomorrow and I am asking about it..better safe than sorry! Thanks Pam

[andy a]

It is my understanding that:

1. Malaria is among the top 3 or so worst diseases worldwide, and

2. Once contracted, it never completely leaves, and

3. There are side effects from prolonged use of preventatives, and

4. The risk of contracting malaria is much greater near Haiti than in the rest of the DR.

I don't know where you plan to be, but it would seem that it would not be a good idea to be near Haiti, especially if it would mean subjecting a child to the possibility of encountering malaria.

On the other hand, I have an aunt who survived a severe case of it in her 20's and is now in her late 80's.

[goatfarmnga]

Well I will be North OF Santo Domingo between SD and Santiago in Monte' Plata area of Yamasa'. My brother in law seems modern but just because you have a phone and a nice car..I will know when I get there. But my mother in law has no phone on her farm (cocoa) so I am trying to live where I can have normal conveniences. I may just check into the vaccines for my son but really hate to have him take them if not necessary. I am going to research it now! Thanks for the info! A usual more good info on DR1 Pam

[PJT]

Originally posted by stormrainbow
Thanks! I will consider my options now...but do you think a 3 year old should take the malaria precautions and the injections? My doc says yes but the pharmasist says hed never give his child the malaria tablets, so Im all worried now! What should I do? Does anyone have experiance of children over there?

Thanks

Storm

Food for thought, the pharmacist has a better knowledge of drugs, their risks and benefits. If he suggests not to give a three year old child malaria tablets I would take his opinion seriously. I am aware, at least in the States. pharmacists can and have a legal right to deny filling a prescription for any client they know and feel is at risk. I think in this case, the pharmacist is hinting, if given the prescription, he would deny filling it. Regards, PJT

[Chris]

We've been bringing our granddaughter here since she was 8 months of age. Now we live here and she is 2 and a half. Never an additional shot besides the usual schedule of kids immunisations. We did not think any additional hepatitis or malaria shots were necessary.

She's had one cold, mild measels and pink eye recently - joining the whole neighborhood as everybody had it.
For the first few visits, we walked around with a box of wet wipes and wiped her hands and our own frequently and wiped or washed any fruit that we bought off the street. So, a few boxes of wet wipes and drinking bottled water are the only precautions we've ever taken.

So, don't sit outside in a mess of mosquitos - keep the child clean and don't eat if you do not know where it comes from and how it has been prepared.

[Hillbilly]

So, let's do this. Make sure that your child knows the rules about eating. Nothing you don't give him.

You have to be vigilent about standing water around where you live. Get it cleaned up.

Keep bug repelant with DEET on hand at all times. Use mosquito nets at night.

Long pants, sock and shoes, and a t-shirt at all times.

Think: CLEAN. Lots of soap and water. The cheapest soap is fine, just use it. (Jabon de cuaba(sp?))

HB

Edited to add: Remember things like pink eye, typhoid, cholera, trots, hepititus all come from "hand to mouth" transmission. Literally-eating schitt!...
Malaria and dengue come from mosquitos: Get rid of the mosquitos and you don't have a problem.

Hopes this helps....

[goatfarmnga]

Thanks I feel better...My dad always said WASH YOUR HANDS..Maybe it will actually be a good idea. Thanks for the tips and My son is an outdoor boy..In the dirt all day..You would have to see him to believe what I am saying..I am on a farm of sorts! He has Never been sick..(Knock on wood) So hope he is resilient to whatever he may come into contact with there..Up to date on shots, wipes and bottle water are easy to do! THanks again DR1! Pam

[andy a]

It sounds like you'll be far away from Haiti - that helps.

Still, you should at least put screen wire over the windows. While you're in the city (Santo Domingo or Santiago), BEFORE you go to your destination, stop at a hardware store. Ochoa is the best and most numerous, although to find something as exotic as window screen you may have to go to a big one of its branches.

Buy umpteen yards of screen and a big roll of duct tape. Find out ahead of time how many windows are in the house and estimate how many yards of screen you'll need. Buy a scissors, too, just to be sure. You can then cut the screen as needed and install it with duct tape.

This assumes of course that the house to which you're headed is not built of slabs, since the cracks between the slabs are too numerous to seal.