Traveling with your children is a great idea with wonderful benefits to both them and you. They get to see and otherwise experience life in other societies, cultural rituals and social mores and customs, which would not otherwise be available to them. And longer term travel opens the opportunity for language learning that will pay off for a life time. The fellow who said travel was the best school of all knew what he was talking about.
Likewise for parents, only once you've done it can you appreciate how much more magical travel is when you can see this exotic world through the wondrous eyes of your children. Parents, though, do worry; it's hard not to also think about the harms that could befall your beloved little ones while off in some distant land. While some of those feelings may be exaggerated worry that should be resisted for the sake of your children's growth and experience, the fact is that parents do have a responsibility to protect their children.
So, while the tendency to over-shelter your children is a counterproductive one to which you should not surrender, your parental responsibilities do require the optimum preparation for the healthiest and happiest trip abroad possible. CDC travel vaccines advice should be part of that preparation.
At the website for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention some fascinating statistics are provided about the travel of American children. It turns out that approximately 1.9 million of them travel abroad annually. And the tendency has been on the rise. This concern for the safety of traveling children is not only a pressing personal concern; it has as well larger social implications.
Obviously, children face the same risk of traveler related illness as do adults. With children, though, there are of course some additional concerns. Younger children are going to be less reliably able to recognize and express the onset of symptoms, making it more difficult to catch concerns in early phases, when they can often be nipped in the bud. Also, of course, children are prone to get into stuff (not to mention sticking stuff in their mouths) that will considerably heighten the risks of contracting illness.
Many variables can be addressed when preparing for a healthy trip for your children. To start with, it is wise to do some preliminary research on the health risks associated with your travel destination. An important aspect of your preparation ought to be a sound vaccination strategy.
It is preferable for children to complete their full set of shots, including standard childhood vaccines, in accordance with a safe and cautiously paced schedule prior to overseas travel. This is important as many diseases to which children are not frequently exposed in the U.S. or other developed countries, due to herd immunity, can be much more prevalent and virulent in many less developed areas of the world.
If circumstances prevent the full completion of routine childhood vaccines before travel, there are accelerated schedules available for many of those vaccines. Consult on this with your family physician.
In addition, of course, consideration has to be given to vaccines specifically targeted to potential illness risks unique to a given location. Lots of valuable info on these matters is available on the CDC website. Take note, though, that in some cases the preferred vaccines are counter-indicated for very young children. Consulting with a travel medicine specialist will be extremely important in evaluating relative risks to your children. Be sure to put your travel medicine specialist in contact with your children's pediatrician. This should be done early in the process, so that a sound strategy may be developed that addresses the unique needs of your kids.
We all know how much better prevention is than cure. The source of all successful prevention is education and preparation. And nothing reduces anxiety like knowing and being ready. Parental anxiety need not deprive your children of the remarkable experience of international travel. And if you take these steps, you'll be able to travel with your children with them enjoying good health and you peace of mind.
Likewise for parents, only once you've done it can you appreciate how much more magical travel is when you can see this exotic world through the wondrous eyes of your children. Parents, though, do worry; it's hard not to also think about the harms that could befall your beloved little ones while off in some distant land. While some of those feelings may be exaggerated worry that should be resisted for the sake of your children's growth and experience, the fact is that parents do have a responsibility to protect their children.
So, while the tendency to over-shelter your children is a counterproductive one to which you should not surrender, your parental responsibilities do require the optimum preparation for the healthiest and happiest trip abroad possible. CDC travel vaccines advice should be part of that preparation.
At the website for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention some fascinating statistics are provided about the travel of American children. It turns out that approximately 1.9 million of them travel abroad annually. And the tendency has been on the rise. This concern for the safety of traveling children is not only a pressing personal concern; it has as well larger social implications.
Obviously, children face the same risk of traveler related illness as do adults. With children, though, there are of course some additional concerns. Younger children are going to be less reliably able to recognize and express the onset of symptoms, making it more difficult to catch concerns in early phases, when they can often be nipped in the bud. Also, of course, children are prone to get into stuff (not to mention sticking stuff in their mouths) that will considerably heighten the risks of contracting illness.
Many variables can be addressed when preparing for a healthy trip for your children. To start with, it is wise to do some preliminary research on the health risks associated with your travel destination. An important aspect of your preparation ought to be a sound vaccination strategy.
It is preferable for children to complete their full set of shots, including standard childhood vaccines, in accordance with a safe and cautiously paced schedule prior to overseas travel. This is important as many diseases to which children are not frequently exposed in the U.S. or other developed countries, due to herd immunity, can be much more prevalent and virulent in many less developed areas of the world.
If circumstances prevent the full completion of routine childhood vaccines before travel, there are accelerated schedules available for many of those vaccines. Consult on this with your family physician.
In addition, of course, consideration has to be given to vaccines specifically targeted to potential illness risks unique to a given location. Lots of valuable info on these matters is available on the CDC website. Take note, though, that in some cases the preferred vaccines are counter-indicated for very young children. Consulting with a travel medicine specialist will be extremely important in evaluating relative risks to your children. Be sure to put your travel medicine specialist in contact with your children's pediatrician. This should be done early in the process, so that a sound strategy may be developed that addresses the unique needs of your kids.
We all know how much better prevention is than cure. The source of all successful prevention is education and preparation. And nothing reduces anxiety like knowing and being ready. Parental anxiety need not deprive your children of the remarkable experience of international travel. And if you take these steps, you'll be able to travel with your children with them enjoying good health and you peace of mind.
About the Author:
India is now a major destination for American travelers. If you're thinking of going, you have to read Mitchell Jones' great article on CDC travel vaccines for India . See also his rankings of the best zoos in America .
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