Going on vacation with the family is a great way to create fun memories that will last a lifetime. However, visiting different locations can expose you and your loved ones to diseases and other illnesses if you don’t take the proper precautions. Touchpoint Pediatrics is proud to assist families when preparing for their travels, offering consultations to specifically discuss the recommended vaccines for their destination. Here, we will help you understand why following and maintaining specific vaccination schedules can allow you to live life to the fullest during your trip.
How Do Vaccination Schedules Work?
Traveling opens up a world of opportunities, allowing you to see new areas of the globe. However, these new environments and their inhabitants mean exposure to foreign germs and viruses. This is why doctors recommend ensuring your vaccinations are current before heading out on faraway trips.
It’s generally recommended to see your primary care physician or child’s pediatrician at least four to six weeks before you’re scheduled to leave. This allows doctors to discuss important information with you, including which vaccines you might be due for (especially those that require multiple doses). This is also helpful for specific travel vaccines that may require visits to specialized facilities, providing enough time for you and your family to schedule and receive them.
Depending on the ages of your children, it’s also critical to consider childhood, infant, and newborn vaccine schedules. This can help ensure there are no conflicts between the vaccines they need and your travel plans.
Which Vaccinations Should Your Children Get?
Starting at birth and throughout childhood, vaccines are recommended to shield youngsters against a host of common diseases. Each day, our children explore more and more of the world. Because of this, they are bound to come into contact with illnesses and diseases that they’ve never encountered before. Giving your child the proper vaccines can provide long-lasting immunity from some of the more common diseases they’ll come across.
It’s also a smart idea because some of these ailments can have strong effects on children. This means that, while adults may suffer some minor symptoms, the same disease could have a much more profound impact on your child. Vaccines not only help the children receiving them but also reduce the risk of these diseases spreading throughout communities everywhere, preventing those unable to get the vaccines from being exposed.
At Touchpoint Pediatrics, we are happy to provide the following vaccines:
- COVID-19 (for children 6 months to 4 years old)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Flu (influenza)
- MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
- Polio
- Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis)
- RSV
- HPV
- Meningococcal B
- PCV15 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)
- Varicella
For those getting immunizations with us, you’ll be happy to know our vaccines are free of preservatives, and we don’t use combo vaccines, so patients can trust that they are safe for infants.
Our Travel Consultations
For those who are planning trips, Touchpoint Pediatrics is happy to offer travel consultations. During these visits, we will discuss the vaccines your family should get before you go. Parents will simply need to provide us with a written itinerary a few days beforehand, so we can identify which vaccines are needed and which nearby travel vaccine clinics offer them. Some of these specialty vaccines for travel include:
- Cholera
- Typhoid
- Yellow fever
- Rabies
- Japanese encephalitis
It is important that you keep a record of your family’s vaccinations, as some destinations may require proof of immunization.
Turn to Our Physicians to Stay Up to Date on Vaccines
At Touchpoint Pediatrics in Chatham, New Jersey, we understand that vaccination schedules may be difficult for parents and guardians to navigate, especially if you are planning a vacation. Fortunately, we have a full team of board-certified pediatricians on staff ready to help you before a big trip, providing reliable healthcare for little ones, advice for parents, and referrals to specialty clinics if needed.
As an independent practice, we’re happy about the personal relationships we create with our patients and the impact we make on our community. Thanks to our reputable and experienced Touchpoint pediatricians and the state-of-the-art resources at their disposal, you and your children will feel comfortable during each visit. What’s more, our team is able to see babies and older kids, making us a great choice for the whole family.
Contact us today if you have any questions or would like to make an appointment.