Traveling to China W/ 15Month Old W/ No Immunizations

Immunizations are not required for school if the parents provide a statement of objection. The most commonly accepted objection is based on religion but other reasons are also accepted. We weren't planning on getting the full round of immunizations and vaccines for our son but we were living in NM at the time. His doctor (a DO) isn't one of those types to prescribe antibiotics for every little sniffle...but she STRONGLY recommended that we get him the full CDC shot schedule. This was because in NM, there are lots of folks who have "questionable" legal status in the US and thus less than adequate healthcare plus diseases like human plague (yes meaning the bubonic plague) still occur in that state! So, the doc recommended the full CDC shot schedule as a self defense measure.

Now as for traveling to China--first thing to do is check the CDC Travelers' Health website and read the Yellow Book information on health risks and current disease outbreaks in China and southeast Asia.

CDC Travelers' Health
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx

China specific information
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationChina.aspx

So without any vaccines I would forego asking his doctor but rather go to a Travel Medicine Specialist.
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentTravelClinics.aspx

Travel Medicine clinics will have the most current information about vaccine and immunization requirements. Plus, they are able to administer the needed shots. Note that shots are most effective if administered 4-6 weeks prior to travel. We use a TM specialist for all our travel health needs prior to international trips.

In looking at the Yellow Book information, there are no mandatory vaccines but the usual Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid, rabies and Japanese encephalitis immunizations are recommended ESPECIALLY if you are traveling to more rural and less developed areas. But traveling to major metro areas like Shanghai, Beijing or Hong Kong should pose no extra health hazard than traveling to LA, NYC or Atlanta.

I have to say we are not big travelers so travel abroad is all new to us. But we are not big on vaccines, although we have done some,but if I were you I would maybe check with your pediatrician I assume you still have one available to you.And maybe heed and vaccines you would be recommended or check what out breaks in that area in the last couple months surely there is a website for that. M.

We lived overseas for 11 yrs, during which time my 5 year old was born in Japan. We have done a lot of traveling in Asia and other parts of the world with our daughter. We had her immunized with all of the shots required by the US, and also a few required by the Japanese government because depending on where you are, how much money you have and how quickly you have access to an English speaking doctor/clinic, if your child is exposed to some of these illnesses you may not be able to get proper and appropriate medical care. The other issue you need to consider is if your child contracts one of these illnesses and you inadvertently bring it back to the US with you, your child could end up infecting a large number of people here. There is a higher risk of infection in many foreign countries because of the lack of universal immunization and poor medical care.
The other thing you have to check into is if you are stopping over in any other countries what are their requirements for entry? Even if you are just in transit some countries require certain vaccines.
Having said all of this, I would not be nervous about bringing a child of any age out of the US, as long as you are properly prepared.
Hope this helps, Good luck!

I would talk to your doctor now to find out what they suggest. My kids have had all of their vaccines and I would still be leary of traveling out of the US.

Wow! That is pretty risky not having him immunized!!!! How will you get him into school....... As far as taking him to china, they might not let you take him without them, but check with his doctor.

Good luck!!! Let me know what the doc says

Hi A.,

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Good luck with your trip!

I have not traveled outside the US with small children. However, I am a nurse and deal with people of all ages traveling outside the US. I would offer this suggestion, please discuss this with your family doctor. I can understand and respect your wishes for your son. Your doctor should be able to tell you the pros and cons of immunization and traveling outside the US. As moms, we want to do what is best for our families. Take Care, Safe journey.

A.,

I totally agree w/ Megan's statements... and when I was researching Ped's in my area- one of my main questions was traveling abroad w/o any vaxes... He told me the only places you might consider vaxing for are in certain places in South America and Africa.

I don't want to repeat everything Megan said, but I wholeheartedly agree with her. How healthy is your child- did you breastfeed? Is her diet "clean" right now? All of this will effect how she would fight anything that she came into contact with.

On a side note... no one in my family (sibling wise) was vaxed and we were a missionary family. We lived in several different countries and traveled a lot. Our immune systems are better than anyone I know today!

I know it seems like a "scary" situation, but I think it's also just as easy to pick up something here as it is anywhere else!!!

I respect your decision to not immunize. It was not an easy decision for our family but with proper research and talking to everyone we made the decision to not immunize. School has been no problem at all- schools want to scare parents into immunizing.
I would be a little uncomfortable about going abroad as well,
I am sure you are aware of the books that talk about that.
What my doctor may not tell me about immunizations- do they have a chapter about traveling to other countries?
Share what you find out- I know it is not an easy decision.
Best Wishes,
D.

I have to agree with a previous response:
"The other issue you need to consider is if your child contracts one of these illnesses and you inadvertently bring it back to the US with you, your child could end up infecting a large number of people here. There is a higher risk of infection in many foreign countries because of the lack of universal immunization and poor medical care."
I know immunization is a personal choice, but you have to also consider the health and welfare of other children when you decide not to immunize and then travel outside the country where a lot of these diseases are more prevelant. It is not only taking a chance with your own child, but all the other children that your child will come into contact with once you return to the States.
Good luck with your decision.

I know some parents choose not to vaccinate for their own reasons or fears but I myself have four children and they have never had any adverse reactions to immunizations, nor have I ever known anyone who has had a child that has had medical problems from immunizations. I myself would be apprehensive about going to other countries without protecting my child from any illnesses they could pick up, your child is young and thus his immune system might not be strong enough to fight off any bacteria's or illnesses that your body could fight off. Plus we build up immunities to the things around us and going to a country he has never been to might put him at risk you don't know what he can pick up. Good luck with your decision and I would just pray about it and do lots of research. God Bless.