Travel Vaccinations for our Daughter

[prephil]

My wife and I are planning to go to china in about a month or two to see her family. We're taking our 6 month old daughter (who will be 7-8 months when we go depending on when we go of course) with us and want to find out if she will need to get travel vaccinations before travelling. Suffice to say, this will be her first trip to the motherland. We're currently living in the SUPREME motherland that is Ireland.

[Daan]

She'll probably need some vaccinations, yes. My advice would be to check with your GP He'll probably also have some booklets on what to do if your kid should fall ill, as well as a list of stuff it would be a good idea to take with you.

[scottishlaura]

I think you may all need some vaccinations, depending on where your wife's family live. Hepatitis B is rife in China but not commonly vaccinated against in the UK, also Japanese encephalitis is worth getting vaccinated against although your daughter may be too young for it, my son isn't getting this until he is 8 months old. Also they are no longer giving BCG vaccinations (against TB) as standard in the UK but it is recommended for people with family from China or who will be spending time in China as there is a much higher incidence of TB here, so even if you can't get it in time for this trip (when I had my son back in Scotland last summer there was a three-month wait to get it) it's definitely a good idea to get it if you plan to visit China regularly or live here in future.

Like PP said, best get yourself down the doctor asap as some of these vaccinations (like Hep B) involve more than one shot before you are covered.

[Lu]

I'd also check with my GP, and/or find if the ministry of foreign affairs website or such has information on this. Usually there are lists of recommended vaccinations (for adults as well).

[xianhua]

On the vaccination issue, I’d definitely contact your GP as the others say, as each situation is different.

We flew out to China last year with our daughter, who at the time, was just a little older than yours will be i.e 9 months. Therefore, allow me to share some of my experiences:

1. Car seats: I think you raised this on a separate thread. Our family there do not drive, but when we did need a car to get to the airport, we found a reliable and experienced drive who we knew personally.

2. Medical emergencies: We found ourselves in a Beijing hospital at 4am with our little one having a suspected fever on our stop-over. Basically, wherever you stay, ensure that you know exactly where a decent hospital is located. This may not be an issue in your wife’s hometown, but if you find yourselves travelling around, consider this angle when booking a hotel.

3. Plane journey: have you booked a seat for the little one, or just a baby basket? We didn’t book a seat for ours. You may read all sorts of horror stories on the internet about not having a seat, but we lived with a baby basket just fine, and did not regret our decision.

4. Nappies. Pampers nappies are widely available but the quality is different to those you find in the UK (and presumably Ireland). Take your own if you can. On that score, I’m not looking forward to our next trip there as our (now) 22 month-old is still in nappies and I just know every single person who sees her will ask why she’s still in nappies. I’ve still got this (irrational) fear that we’ll wake up one morning to find holes in all of our daughter’s jeans and trousers.

5. Attention. It depends on where you are going, but in a rural setting, the attention she received was unbelievelable. If you think laowai get stared at, try mixing in a native wife and child, and then you get pandemonium. We had to leave the shopping mall on one occasion as the crowds got too overwhelming. Actually, one method we deployed was the ‘separation‘ tactic. My wife would walk along pushing the buggy with the cover over it, so the passer-by’s wouldn’t know it was a hunxue baby. I would then walk a fair distance behind – but near enough to watch over them – to avoid arousing suspicion that we were together.

6. It goes without saying to take your own baby milk (if you need it).

7. Finally, packing is not an easy task with a young one, but try and leave some room in your suitcases as you will probably be showered with baby gifts hours/minutes before you leave for the airport.

[xiaotao]

It's funny that you would call Ireland the "SURPREME" motherland. It's not much fun to travel with a baby because you won't be able to control the environment as much as your primary home. My cousin has grandparents and a babysitter awaiting her when she and her two little ones travel back to Asia.

[prephil]

I think you may all need some vaccinations, depending on where your wife's family live. Hepatitis B is rife in China but not commonly vaccinated against in the UK, also Japanese encephalitis is worth getting vaccinated against although your daughter may be too young for it, my son isn't getting this until he is 8 months old.

Family live in Hebei Province about 100km south east of capital SJZ. What exactly is Hep B and how can it be contracted? Think I read it’s through the food? How does that work – basic poor hygiene. What are the effects of Hep B? So far our daughter has got her:

• BCG (not sure if this includes TB in Ireland – must find out)

• 6-in-1, 1st dose (Infanrix if that means anything – can just about make out doctor’s writing),

• PCV (prevlnar)

• 6-in-1, 2nd dose (Infanrix

• Men C (Mensugate)

She’s due at the doctors again on March 26 for her next set of injections but by that stage we may be in China. This visit should include 6-in-1, PCV and Men C but our doc only gives 2 injections at the most at any one time.

________________________________________

On the vaccination issue, I’d definitely contact your GP as the others say, as each situation is different.

We flew out to China last year with our daughter, who at the time, was just a little older than yours will be i.e 9 months. Therefore, allow me to share some of my experiences:

Great points there. Acknowledged them all and showed them to my wife.

1. We think we will get her parents to collect us. Might stay overnight in Beijing and recover from jetlag as if parents meet us directly they won’t let us rest as I don’t think they know what jet lag is. Then next day give them a bell and let them know we’re in the big smoke or just let them know in advance.

2. Will keep this in mind when booking a hotel in Beijing. Can you recommend anything near a decent hospital? I’ve a bad feeling that our daughter could get sick. Did your child’s ears hurt them on the plane? I remember going on holidays with my family when I was about 14 and my little sister who was about 1 year old at the time had a terrible time on the plane. She was balling crying and that was only a 2 hour flight to Jersey.

3. Haven’t booked anything yet but might just go with a baby basket/car seat.

4. I found it very strange to see little kids pooing and peeing on the side of a street like a little puppy at first when I got to China but like everything else just got used to it. Before I’d seen it I used wonder why they had slits in the pants around that area. We had Chinese baby clothes sent over and they were like this but so far we haven’t done much potty training as she’s only 6 months and basically we don’t have the time. Kinda different in China with grandmothers and aunts and cousins around the whole time. We’ve no family here in Dublin so it’s a bit stressful at times but I nearly prefer to do things our own way. Nice to see mom and pop for a weekend or so but not popping over everyday telling me how to do this and that. I go bananas when that happens. Will bring a few nappies so. 5 a day multiplied by 30 so a box and a half should just about cover us.

5. Another thing that annoys me is getting those mad stares like I’m in a zoo and I’m the last of my kind. I can see how a foreigner with a baby could attract a lot of attention. Will be bringing my Harry Potter invisibility cloak so.

6. Remember reading about the poisoned milk scandal in Shijiazhuang a few years ago so this is a big issue. Of course my wife scoffed at this which annoys me as she doesn’t seem to understand the corruption that goes on out there to make a few bob extra even at the expense of childrens/adults lives. Will stock up on Aptimal 1 so. How about you – where do you get your baby milk or do you have a cow out the back?

7. Cheers for the packing advice as well. Much appreciated. Will let you know how it goes.

God bless.

It's funny that you would call Ireland the "SURPREME" motherland. It's not much fun to travel with a baby because you won't be able to control the environment as much as your primary home. My cousin has grandparents and a babysitter awaiting her when she and her two little ones travel back to Asia.

Was joking re SUPREME motherland. Not sure if you thought I was serious. Thanks for your advice though.

[Lu]

What exactly is Hep B and how can it be contracted? Think I read it’s through the food? How does that work – basic poor hygiene. What are the effects of Hep B? So far our daughter has got her: (...)

She’s due at the doctors again on March 26 for her next set of injections but by that stage we may be in China. This visit should include 6-in-1, PCV and Men C but our doc only gives 2 injections at the most at any one time.

I'd suggest you call your doctor, explain your plans, and make an appointment for some time before you leave, to get all this sorted out.

As to more information on Hepatitis B, have you tried your local ministry of health, google, and wikipedia?

[xianhua]

1. I don’t think they know what jet lag is.

Yes, no sooner have you put the cases down then its meals, relatives, friends and general chaos. We always try and hide for a day or two before announcing our presence to the rest of the relatives and friends.

2. Can you recommend anything near a decent hospital? I’ve a bad feeling that our daughter could get sick. Did your child’s ears hurt them on the plane?

I certainly wouldn’t recommend the hospital we visited – the contrast between the high rise shiny buildings and the inside of this hospital was striking. However, I would search around on here, or start a new thread, as some posters who live in Beijing will have experience of the best hospitals.

Luckily, our little one didn’t seem to suffer from ear pain. In some repsects, I think this age is actually quite good for flying as they are too young to know what’s going on. Last time, there was a girl next to us of about 2-3 who cried throughout the take off and landing. The roar of the plane was obviously upsetting up. As Scottishlaura said elsewhere, the fact that Chinese generally adore children and have endless patience with them, will make it easier on the plane when she cries.

3..so far we haven’t done much potty training as she’s only 6 months and basically we don’t have the time.

You should be ok on this visit but if she’s still in nappies on your next trip when she’s nearer 2 (or over), you can probably expect a curious reaction. I’ve got my lines ready.

6. Remember reading about the poisoned milk scandal in Shijiazhuang a few years ago so this is a big issue.. Will stock up on Aptimal 1 so. How about you – where do you get your baby milk or do you have a cow out the back?

We took two boxes of our own baby milk last time (Cow and Gate brand).

7. Cheers for the packing advice as well.

We invested in some suitcase scales last time. Of course, this is all very well until the last minute gifts come out. We had to re-pack everything at the airport.

[jbradfor]

Did your child’s ears hurt them on the plane? I remember going on holidays with my family when I was about 14 and my little sister who was about 1 year old at the time had a terrible time on the plane. She was balling crying and that was only a 2 hour flight to Jersey.

Consider giving Tylenol, especially for the landing. The air pressure change can make ears hurt, and worse for babies as they don't know how to swallow to reduce the pressure. [A passifier is really good here as well, both to console the baby and to help the pressure.]

[prephil]

What's the jazz with nappies in China? When do babies finish in them over there?

What's a passifier? Do you mean just speak soothing words?

[jbradfor]

What's a passifier? Do you mean just speak soothing words?

That's the American term, forgot the UK term. See here.

[xianhua]

You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to; you say passifier, I say dummy; you say diaper, I say nappy.

In the instances I know about, the children have been out of nappies before 18 months. The lack of carpets makes this method more feasible plus there is never a shortage of grandparents or other relatives to help out.

I'm still petrified of holding a baby with half of the trousers missing for obvious reasons.

[prephil]

Yes I say dummy or soother. I imagine if i said passifier in the countryside here I'd get some quare looks.

[prephil]

Looked into travel vaccinations today. Called Tropical Medical Bureau (tmb.ie) and they recommended my daughter get a hepititis A vaccination. This costs €37.50 which isn't too bad but there is a mandatory consultation with a doctor that costs €60. So €97.50 in total. I think this is a bit of a rip off.

I know there is no cost that you can put on a childs health but the mandatory €60 consultation which will probably take about a max of 10 minutes is a bit much. Think the company know there is no way out and can afford to charge high prices.

[Lu]

As with many professions, you pay a little money for the time it takes, and a lot of money for the time it took the doctor to gather the necessary knowledge. But it's good to see that you found the information you needed.