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MeMe
United Kingdom
541 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Oct 2008 : 13:23:31
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We (myself, my daughter and her 2 year old) will be going to the Gambia next March and wondered if there were any fellow posters with any pearls of wisdom - from which paediatric anti-malaria options are best to how to get them to take it!
The last time we took the wee fella he wasn't too taken with us trying to hide his medication in various food stuffs. He was 7 months at the time and we'd been given paediatric anti-malaria tablets which had to be halfed and taken daily .... if you thought feeding a pill to a cat was tough!!!
Many thanks 
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It is better to die standing than to live on your knees - Ernesto Guevara de la Serna |
Edited by - MeMe on 24 Oct 2008 14:04:07 |
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lurker
509 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2008 : 13:42:02
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| i think you can get paediatric malorone liquid, but lariam half a tab weekly also works, check the dosage of the lariam. i used 1/4 tablet for my 11 month old a while back. if you use tabs, crush them and put the powder into a teaspoon of yoghurt. they will eventually handle it! |
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MeMe
United Kingdom
541 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2008 : 14:03:11
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| Thanks, Lurker Maybe it'll be easier now he's a bit bigger??? |
It is better to die standing than to live on your knees - Ernesto Guevara de la Serna |
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Hiz Princess
United Kingdom
464 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2008 : 22:46:25
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quote:
Originally posted by MeMe
We (myself, my daughter and her 2 year old) will be going to the Gambia next March and wondered if there were any fellow posters with any pearls of wisdom - from which paediatric anti-malaria options are best to how to get them to take it!
The last time we took the wee fella he wasn't too taken with us trying to hide his medication in various food stuffs. He was 7 months at the time and we'd been given paediatric anti-malaria tablets which had to be halfed and taken daily .... if you thought feeding a pill to a cat was tough!!!
Many thanks
Get the liquid I know I sounds odd but if you use a syringe to administer it, chances are you will end up wearing a lot less.
I know from experience
good luck |
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tintinto
United Kingdom
105 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2008 : 13:11:50
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| Hi everyone, I leave for Gambia Monday morning, with my Wife and 11month baby girl, stoping at "Badala Hotel" £389.00 for 2 weeks B&B each. Went to my local GP friend yesterday Morning, routine i thought to collect my "Malarone". Doc. says have you thought about your wife and daughter, how they are "protected"?(they have been in UK for 4months, and will return here in April) so he made me an appointent for us, for yesterday afternoon, in Liverpool at the "School for Tropical Medicene". After consultation they both had "Yellow Fever" jab's, and allowed that the baby be treated for all other things inc. Malaria, at the clinic were she is registered in Gambia, on our return. |
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Hiz Princess
United Kingdom
464 Posts |
Posted - 02 Nov 2008 : 22:08:24
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I think more and more places are recommending Yellow fever now
Hope you and your family have a safe and pleasant trip. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 02 Nov 2008 : 22:29:42
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My daughters are now 19 and 23 and free to make their own holiday choices and health decisions.
Personally I wouldnt have taken them on holiday to somewhere that subjected them to extra jabs and health risks. We holidayed in europe and USA for that reason.
I work with special needs children and wouldnt deliberately expose a child to more innoculations than is absoutely necessary. Is it really worth the risk for the sake of a holiday?
You can always travel after your child is grown up.....
Your child can make the decision for themselves when fully grown.
My 18 yr old came to Gambia last year for first time..... It was great to have her with me. |
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MeMe
United Kingdom
541 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 12:02:26
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Indeed, Bev, but for those of us whose children/grandchildren have families outwith Europe or USA then that's not really an option now is it? But thanks for pointing out the error of our ways in taking our little prince to visit his Gambian family!
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It is better to die standing than to live on your knees - Ernesto Guevara de la Serna |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 13:42:55
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If you have family in Gambia, that is slightly different I suppose.
The nurse at your doctors practise should be able to provide you with up to date information about what innoculations are necessary. In Gambia you need more protection if you are going in land, drinking well water etc compared with staying at the coast in a hotel.
Innoculation is only part of the solution. Sleeping under a net, drinking bottled water, not eating things washed in tap water, not eating shellfish etc are all part of the risk assessment.
I would recommend you TRY to get the toddler to drink rehydration sachets (available in boots etc) as a preventative measure. Keeping HYDRATED is really important, especially for the young. |
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fee_sweetie
United Kingdom
127 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 14:23:09
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Luckily Marley has already been to the gambia and survived fine, and we are well equipted of the precausions and extra care he needs.....They reccommend all mixed race kids or kids who will be incontact with people from non-EU countries to get their BCG when they are new born.....so marley has got his....but to be honest with all the innoculations kids get now-a-days then one or two more is going to do no harm..... if the medication was going to put their life at risk then they wouldnt suggest giving them, would they???!!
We were really just looking for any advice on Anti-malaria for kids and if anyone had experience of using them with their own kids........dont really want a lecture about how i am putting my childs life in risk 'because of a holiday'...
Not that I should have to justify my reasons but I am taking Marley to Gambia from a young age and will keep doing so until he decides not to go any longer. so he can get accustomed to part of his heritdge, meet his family and be in a country where his Mama and Oma are in the minority, and so he can learn where his Father has come from and how life is different from that in the UK. and in time he will also get to see where his Mama was born and how holland is different too...........I want him to be a well rounded young man, who knows of the world and the oppertunities that lies ahead for him, and that life doesnt just revolve around the UK.
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"Religion is an insult to human dignity. Without it you'd have good people doing good things + evil people doing evil things but for good people to do evil things it takes religion"- Richard Dawkins |
Edited by - fee_sweetie on 03 Nov 2008 14:24:56 |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 14:37:14
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meme, you can always use mosquito creams anti repellents, as for drinking lots, buy some orange squash or drink sachets and mix that with water kids will love it.
enjoy |
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Momodou
Denmark
11738 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 15:42:06
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Meme, We usually get “Malarone” and the children take half dosage of adults.
My children have been going to the Gambia very often since they were born and one of them always refuses and spits out the anti malaria tablets. Thank god none of them or us the adults have been infected so far.
My General Physician informed us that malaria carrying mosquito the female anopheles only bites during the night and the best protection is to avoid a bite. This can be achieved by sleeping under a treated bed net and a repellent. I have since stopped taking tablets because they give me headache and I feel uneasy. Remember to use the repellent before stepping out of the plane if you dicide not to take tablets and your flight arrives in the evening.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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MeMe
United Kingdom
541 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 16:38:40
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| Thanks for the welcome practical advice, Jambo and Modo! We've got the anti-repellents (creams, pump sprays, candles - you name it!) but you still feel uneasy when it comes to the little ones and their spitting out techniques. |
It is better to die standing than to live on your knees - Ernesto Guevara de la Serna |
Edited by - MeMe on 03 Nov 2008 16:41:35 |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2008 : 18:25:18
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Not taking the anti malaria medication is NOT recommended. I would advise you to look at the government web sites about travel to see specific recommendations.
Malaria is a serious life threatening illness and I consider it fool hardy of anyone to suggest travelling to a country with Malaria without taking precautions. ESPECIALLY if you are going to travel inland to the villages.
In the evening the best protection is to cover the body to make a physical barrier, so long sleeved tops and trouser of light weight material rather than strappy tops and shorts.
No innoculation is risk free and we need to make informed decisions weighing up the pros and cons. Question doctors about the COMBINATION of things your child will be taking. Many things have been given to children over the years that have caused damage. I think it is naive to just blindly follow 'doctor knows best'.
I am surprised any doctor recommended lariam for a child. It is a very strong drug that has lots of serious side effects for adults, let alone a child! 
Fee sweetie I agree competely that the world is a wonderful, culturally diverse place and it is great to explore it. It will be great for your child to know both sides of their culture and have relationships with both sides of the family. It takes alot of hard work and effort on you part and I respect that.
If I had mixed race kids I would have done the same.
BUT as I said previously, JUST for the sake of a holiday (obviously your reasons for going is not just a holiday)I wouldnt take that risk. Its a small risk and its a personal choice.
I hope you have a wonderful time and the Gambian side of the family enjoy their time with your son. ..Just a thought..does your son like cheese? I used to push tablets into the middle of a cube of cheese..the strength of the taste disguised it a bit! GOOD LUCK!
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