We just infected our kids with yellow fever. Then made them swallow typhoid. Entirely on purpose.
I admit to never critically thinking about vaccinations until recently. It’s always been something I viewed as expected of me. Getting shots as a kid wasn’t really my choice; my parents decided (wisely) upon that. Before being deployed to Iraq, we were purposely infected with all types of things. Uncle Sam said so. And even when I did have the choice to immunize my own children, despite the “risks of developing autism”—a wholly debunked myth that has undoubtedly influenced many parents’ decisions to leave their children unprotected—my default answer was always yes. It’s just something you do.
Our vaccinations this week were entirely voluntary. Entry into Ecuador does not require them. In fact, we’ll only be in an area at risk for yellow fever for four days when we visit the Cuyabeno Reserve. But as Dr. Lee of the Pediatric Travel Medicine team at UVM Medical Center listed off the symptoms of this nasty virus, I watched my kids’ reactions. Although they didn’t quite know what encephalitis meant, they weren’t too keen on potentially having yellow skin (although it may be the only pigment Connor ever has…) With a recent bout of the stomach bug passing through our school, the thought of high fevers, vomiting, and diarrhea wasn’t particularly appealing, especially when so far from home. Our kids were given the choice to receive these vaccines and they actually had to sign their own assent forms. At our recommendation, they are now purposely infected. And protected.
Immunizations have saved countless lives ever since their discovery via milkmaids with cowpox. (Remind me to tell you a funny smallpox inoculation story upon returning.) Fifty years ago, I may have died from measles or our children crippled with polio. Today these diseases are almost unheard of in the United States. Volunteering in an orphanage during our first three weeks in Ecuador, hopefully we’ll get the chance to influence the choices of others. Entirely on purpose.
Perrin Family Adventures 