traveling to Mexico with unvaccinated child

[Vicky2005]

My child is 4 years old and she is 100% unvaccinated.
We are going for a holiday to Mexico. Is there something I should take with me? Is there something I should give it to her to make her immune system stronger? She is very healthy child but I am just curious.
The only thing that I worry about is the tetnus (spell?). She will be playing in the sand and in the water so I am wondering if there is something I should do????

[Marnica]

I would bring SA and probiotics and give those to her both before during and after your trip.

If you are concerned about her playing on the beach barefoot, buy her a pair of the water shoes or jelly shoes that you can also wear while in the water swimming. Other than that I would just exercise the standard cautions everyone does while travelling.

[Moose]

Bring a Flak jacket

I would be more worried about the Drug wars currently going on then much else.

Stay safe.

[medusaatemydog]

there is an article http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090424/.../med_swine_flu


that they are warning people about swine flu... mentions that they think the flu shot may offer some protection... they will sell you anything... i could see them calling national quarantine and forced vaccine... they are quickly making a vaccine for it... gee i wonder if it's been 'rigorously tested'

i would not go to mexico, you may not be allowed back in without a vaccine...who knows.. but the legislation is out there..and they have at few hundred vaccines they would like to make mandatory... meaning that i would not be surprised if i hear about mandatory adult vaccines in the future...

[brendaziz]

There is NO way I woudl go to mexico right now w/ the whole swine flu thing! they've closed all the schools.

Not that that's ideal, but just my opinion- stay home! all of you- NOT just your child.

[carriebft]

edit: just read this so I am editing to say that if the UN does this I would not go because, if it gets worse, there is a chance you would not be let back into the USA? I would need to look into it more, but, if there was a chance of getting stuck because of further outbreaks, I would not want to go:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...I&refer=europe

Also, the drug violence (while actually under pretty decent control right now since the military took over Juarez) is really concentrated in the North, so, again, something I would think about in regards to where I was vacationing.

On vaccines....there is nothing required and the only major issue I would think of in Mexico would be Hep A and Hep B, the latter of which is pretty difficult to get! And Hep A you can be mindful of and remember to wash foods and hands, and stick with resort type restaurants.

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by brendaziz

There is NO way I woudl go to mexico right now w/ the whole swine flu thing! they've closed all the schools.

They've closed the schools and public places in Mexico City, where the concentration of cases have been, not not the rest of the country. There have also been several cases in San Diego, but there are no extra precautions being taken at the border as of now (and none expected, as far as I've heard - and since dh crosses the border everyday, we keep up on these things. I told him to ask the Border guards today if they've got any news, but he probaby won't ) No one here in the north is particularly worried, that I can tell.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by Moose

I would be more worried about the Drug wars currently going on then much else.

Stay safe.

:

[A&A]

Originally Posted by eclipse

They've closed the schools and public places in Mexico City, where the concentration of cases have been, not not the rest of the country. There have also been several cases in San Diego, but there are no extra precautions being taken at the border as of now (and none expected, as far as I've heard - and since dh crosses the border everyday, we keep up on these things. I told him to ask the Border guards today if they've got any news, but he probaby won't ) No one here in the north is particularly worried, that I can tell.

The WHO is currently (as in, today) meeting to decide whether or not to enact border closures.

[tayndrewsmama]

You couldn't pay me to go to Mexico right now.

[eclipse]

The WHO is not recommending border closures at this time.

[~Boudicca~]

Originally Posted by tayndrewsmama

You couldn't pay me to go to Mexico right now.

Me either.

I've been keeping up with the news today and things are getting pretty interesting with the swine flu situation.

There are 75 kids from a school in Queens that are being watched and tested for it right now, 3 more kids in Texas, I think 8 or so in San Diego, and one person quarantined in Montreal.

[Porcelain Interior]

Originally Posted by eclipse

The WHO is not recommending border closures at this time.

There's a big shock. It's always political, and always about money, not health.

[luv-my-boys]

growing up with lived in a border state so we would often vacation in mexico. Depending on where in mexico you are traveling some may not apply. Some of the precautions we took to not get sick were:

1. Constantly wash hands with soap and water. That being said washing your hands in *questionable* water isnt any better than leaving them dirty. 2nd best hand sanitizer.

2. Always ate hot food. never any deli style sandwiches or such. only food that was piping hot or had been baked/cooked. never food that had been left standing warmed

3. that being said we only ate at established restaurants or hotel eateries.

4. We NEVER drank the water or used it to brush our teeth. we used bottled water for everything and insisted on drinks that had been either pasturized or things like canned drinks from well known makers like coke,pepsi (the american versions-as there are mexican recipes of coke/pepsi) so in other words commercially prepared drinks if possible. We pasted on the *agua frescas* (home made fruit drinks) on the streets.

5. We loaded up on vitamins the week before/during/after the trip.

[stacey05]

I don't think I would want to go to Mexico right now. We are just watching this and seeing what is going to happen. I just started hearing about this yesterday.

[inchwormz]

Originally Posted by Marnica

I would bring SA and probiotics and give those to her both before during and after your trip.

What is SA?

And I have to agree with the previous poster - you couldn't pay me to go to Mexico right now.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by eclipse

The WHO is not recommending border closures at this time.

But they're not not recommending it, either. They're still deciding.

[celestialdreamer]

Between the drug war and swine flu outbreaks, I would seriously consider postponing your trip. I agree with the pp - you couldn't pay me to go there right now!

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by inchwormz

What is SA?

And I have to agree with the previous poster - you couldn't pay me to go to Mexico right now.

SA is sodium ascorbate (vitamin C)

[medusaatemydog]

Originally Posted by luv-my-boys

growing up with lived in a border state so we would often vacation in mexico. Depending on where in mexico you are traveling some may not apply. Some of the precautions we took to not get sick were:

1. Constantly wash hands with soap and water. That being said washing your hands in *questionable* water isnt any better than leaving them dirty. 2nd best hand sanitizer.

2. Always ate hot food. never any deli style sandwiches or such. only food that was piping hot or had been baked/cooked. never food that had been left standing warmed

3. that being said we only ate at established restaurants or hotel eateries.

4. We NEVER drank the water or used it to brush our teeth. we used bottled water for everything and insisted on drinks that had been either pasturized or things like canned drinks from well known makers like coke,pepsi (the american versions-as there are mexican recipes of coke/pepsi) so in other words commercially prepared drinks if possible. We pasted on the *agua frescas* (home made fruit drinks) on the streets.

5. We loaded up on vitamins the week before/during/after the trip.

You said you never drank the water.... did you bathe there? Cause you can still absorb toxins through your skin and expose yourself to bad water that way too...
Coke and Pepsi?? Did you know thier water quality hasn't always been so great and they are LOADED w/pesticides!!!!!!!!

Sanitzier can leave your skin exposed being that it can also kill off your skins natural benificial bacteria also.... soap is probably better...

It must have been nice to have such a close family to make vacations together!! sounds like fun!! ). I don't live near mexico but we try to visit other places all the time....

I would not go to Mexico right now...they are having Way too many problemos