International travel is one of the greatest things you can do with your children. It provides immense benefits to you and them. They have the opportunity to experience the wonders of the world in a way and to a degree that simply isn't possible back home. Such travel can provide experiences that will enrich them for the rest of their lives. There is no doubt that travel is indeed the best school of life.
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 sheltering your children at the expense of great growth opportunities should be resisted, as a parent you need to prepare them the best you can for a healthy and happy exploring of the world. CDC travel vaccines advice should be part of that preparation.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, something in the area of 1.9 million American children participate in international travel annually. Furthermore, this number has been on the rise. So, this is not only a pressing personal issue, but also a more widespread social concern.
Children are confronted by the identical illnesses that face traveling adults. However, in the case of children, these same risks are given an additional wrinkle or two that requires forethought on your part. Understandably, children of a young age will be less dependable reporters of emerging symptoms. They will less reliably recognize and express the onset of the signs of illness. This increases the difficulty in identifying illness in early stages, when some treatments will have the best effect. Additionally, of course, kids have a way of getting into stuff (as well as getting stuff into their mouths) which tends to heighten their illness contracting risks.
Among the factors for improving the safety of your children will be a thorough research of the unique health risks of your designated destination. The most thorough plan must include a well considered vaccination strategy.
The CDC is emphatic that all children who will be traveling in the developing world in particular should complete their full set of shots for the conventional childhood illnesses. These should be administered according to a safely paced schedule, in advance of international travel. Remember that even in the absence of up to date vaccinations, our children in America and other parts of the developed world benefit from both herd immunization and high hygienic standards. Your children won't enjoy these contextual advantages once traveling in the developing world. There, many such childhood diseases are both more prevalent and virulent.
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.
Then there is the matter of area specific vaccines. Information on CDC travel vaccines for children in particular locations can be found on the CDC website. It is important to remember that some of these travel vaccines cannot be provided to very young children. To identify needs and options in this area of travel vaccines, then, it is important to consult with a specialist in travel medicine. Your travel medicine specialist should consult your children's pediatrician as early as possible before traveling to identify any unique dispositions that will need to be considered when planning a travel protection plan for them.
The best cure is prevention and the key to prevention is education and preparation. There's no reason why anxiety about health risk should deprive your children the wonderful experience of travel, nor you the joy of observing their thrilling encounter with an excitingly diverse world. A little planning can open up a world of wonders to you both.
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 sheltering your children at the expense of great growth opportunities should be resisted, as a parent you need to prepare them the best you can for a healthy and happy exploring of the world. CDC travel vaccines advice should be part of that preparation.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, something in the area of 1.9 million American children participate in international travel annually. Furthermore, this number has been on the rise. So, this is not only a pressing personal issue, but also a more widespread social concern.
Children are confronted by the identical illnesses that face traveling adults. However, in the case of children, these same risks are given an additional wrinkle or two that requires forethought on your part. Understandably, children of a young age will be less dependable reporters of emerging symptoms. They will less reliably recognize and express the onset of the signs of illness. This increases the difficulty in identifying illness in early stages, when some treatments will have the best effect. Additionally, of course, kids have a way of getting into stuff (as well as getting stuff into their mouths) which tends to heighten their illness contracting risks.
Among the factors for improving the safety of your children will be a thorough research of the unique health risks of your designated destination. The most thorough plan must include a well considered vaccination strategy.
The CDC is emphatic that all children who will be traveling in the developing world in particular should complete their full set of shots for the conventional childhood illnesses. These should be administered according to a safely paced schedule, in advance of international travel. Remember that even in the absence of up to date vaccinations, our children in America and other parts of the developed world benefit from both herd immunization and high hygienic standards. Your children won't enjoy these contextual advantages once traveling in the developing world. There, many such childhood diseases are both more prevalent and virulent.
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.
Then there is the matter of area specific vaccines. Information on CDC travel vaccines for children in particular locations can be found on the CDC website. It is important to remember that some of these travel vaccines cannot be provided to very young children. To identify needs and options in this area of travel vaccines, then, it is important to consult with a specialist in travel medicine. Your travel medicine specialist should consult your children's pediatrician as early as possible before traveling to identify any unique dispositions that will need to be considered when planning a travel protection plan for them.
The best cure is prevention and the key to prevention is education and preparation. There's no reason why anxiety about health risk should deprive your children the wonderful experience of travel, nor you the joy of observing their thrilling encounter with an excitingly diverse world. A little planning can open up a world of wonders to you both.
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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