Typhoid shots for toddlers?

[Beasmama]

We are moving to HK from the States in March with our 2 year old and her pediatrician is recommending a Typhoid shot. Do you follow the recommendations of your home countries, or local recommendations? Is a Typhoid shot suggested by local pediatrician? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

[pandabearest]

I had a typhoid shot when coming to HK, and I am an adult, so probably best to get this shot for your Child.

Get advice from your local GP, I wouldnt particularly wait until you get into the country to do this....

I also suggest TWINRIX Junior for Hep A and Hep B.... I had the TRINRIX Adult shots before I come to HK.

But I definetley suggest you get all that done months before coming to HK.

[hongkong7]

short answer

as the capsular vaccines are poorly antigenic in the under 2-3 year age group & while there is no absolute contraindication to vaccination the risk of the vaccination itself may outway the risk of contracting S.typhi infection in HK where it is not commonly encountered

you always need to weigh up the risks and benefits of vaccination

hint

NB Hepatitis A and B are common in hk as is influenza

[pandabearest]

^^ Instead of hinting why dont you just write normally?

What is this some sort of guessing game you have made up? Freak.

[hello_there]

We are moving to HK from the States in March with our 2 year old and her pediatrician is recommending a Typhoid shot. Do you follow the recommendations of your home countries, or local recommendations? Is a Typhoid shot suggested by local pediatrician? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

Have talked to 3 co-workers with toddlers (all from the US) and all kids got typhoid before coming to HK as per their peds recommendation. Typhoid isn't too common in HK, but it does show up regularly around SE Asia and China. Might consider whether you will be travelling with your child as part of your risk analysis, or if you plan to put your kid in a local daycare, etc. A side note - all three commented on how much better their pediatricians in the US were (common problems here include weighing young babies while clothed/ diapered, spending all of 2 minutes with the kid after lengthy office waits (local parents seem to take their kids to the doctor every time they sneeze), not wanting to take the time to explain risks or treatments/medicines - docs seem to take an 'I'm the professional so do what I say without question attitude', etc.) and they still call their docs at home with questions.

Hep A and B are also common here. One of the co-workers kids went to a Gymborie class where another child had hep. Yuck. Fortunately it didn't spread to her babe.

[hongkong7]

pandabearest actually i meant nothing in particular by "hint "-it is really just a phrase and in fact i was being friendly and trying to give the poster some advice

but it sure got a strong reaction from you

some-ones writing style is not to your liking and you call them freak

you sound very unpleasant when you say that -do you mean i am an actual freak? in what way? and would you say that to my face?-i doubt it as you call names in the anonymity of this forum -kind of cowardly

anyway more importantl;y to the op if you took offence to the word hint please dont -i just dashed off a reply about something i happen to know about in the spirit of these help forms

[pandabearest]

Have talked to 3 co-workers with toddlers (all from the US) and all kids got typhoid before coming to HK as per their peds recommendation. Typhoid isn't too common in HK, but it does show up regularly around SE Asia and China. Might consider whether you will be travelling with your child as part of your risk analysis, or if you plan to put your kid in a local daycare, etc. A side note - all three commented on how much better their pediatricians in the US were (common problems here include weighing young babies while clothed/ diapered, spending all of 2 minutes with the kid after lengthy office waits (local parents seem to take their kids to the doctor every time they sneeze), not wanting to take the time to explain risks or treatments/medicines - docs seem to take an 'I'm the professional so do what I say without question attitude', etc.) and they still call their docs at home with questions.

Hep A and B are also common here. One of the co-workers kids went to a Gymborie class where another child had hep. Yuck. Fortunately it didn't spread to her babe.

Exactly what my GP said to me - Best to have it along with the others in case you do travel around asia as this poster has said.

Also - be warned this shot about half an hour after going into the arm, went 'crunchy' when you push the spot.... I know... Pretty gross...

[pandabearest]

"poorly antigenic in the under 2-3 year age group & while there is no absolute contraindication to vaccination the risk of the vaccination itself may outway the risk of contracting S.typhi infection in HK where it is not commonly encountered"......


Above does not make sense to an average person, it is an unreasonable reply imo.... It actually reads like dribble......... And no I dont think it contributes to any form of an answer actually.

Its a waste of time reading and a waste of my time typing right now, so I will stop.

[hongkong7]

Beasmama

to clarify

"is a Typhoid shot suggested by local pediatrician"

no

actually local peads will not suggest this vaccination and it is certainly not part of the local childhood vaccination schedule

the reason is because as i mentioned above the vaccine is poorly antigenic in the age group of your toddler(in other words it doesn't work that well)

Additionally vaccination would have to be repeated every 2 years during your stay.Bear in mind risks of vaccination /SE remain for subsequent booster

As there is no endemic transmission of typhoid in hong kong i am puzzled why the paed in the US are recommending this -certainly in Australia they would not and neither are the local paeds recc. this

just fyi most typhoid infections in hk (there are about 30-40 per year )are imported (ie travellers from endemic area's such as India /Pakistan etc)and so not relevant to your situation just living in urban HK area etc

Your risk of Salmonella infection is also present in US -recent outbreaks related to peanut butter contamination and pre packaged salads prove that

Hope the above points help you in your decision to vaccinate or not in this case

[hongkong7]

Baesmama as Pandabearest helpfully pointed out

"Also - be warned this shot about half an hour after going into the arm, went 'crunchy' when you push the spot.... I know... Pretty gross... "

the typhoid vaccine is well known for high incidence local and systemic reactions compared to other vaccines

its another reason why we don't give it to toddlers here as a routine