Malaria and children

[kimber]

I will be traveling to Punta Cana, Allegro Occidental Resort with my husband and 13 month old daughter in June. Her doctor told me not to take her or put her on anti-malaria prescriptions for the duration of our stay. He really is scaring me about this trip. She is a healthy little girl and I don't want to do anything to hurt her. How bad is the threat of malaria in Punta Cana? Do I need any special precautions traveling with a little one? Does anyone have any suggestions? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! The trip is paid for so we must go.

[rellosk]

I would think your Doctor's advise is more valuable than anything you'd get on a message board. Especially when it comes to your 15 month old baby. If you doubt your Doctor, get a second Doctor's opinion. Don't take the advise of a layman.

[ricktoronto]

Try to change to Puerto Plata or Juan Dolio if the doctor says no to going or to Chloroquine both. However there is pediatric dosage of 5 mg/kg of body weight (e.g. 50 pound kid, 20 kilos , 100mg instead of 500 once a week), so you might confer with a tropical medicine clinic where you live since it is hard to imagine a reason not to use anti-malarials and go. The extreme bitterness would make it tough to get the baby to take though. It is damn bitter.