Tuberculosis

When a child is born in Hong Kong, s/he is immediately vaccinated against Tuberculosis.

My eldest was born in London, England, while my youngest was born in Denver, Colorado. Neither has been vaccinated against Tuberculosis. We have traveled for years, lived in different parts of the US, Asia and Europe, and only recently have we wondered whether or not to vaccinate our girls against TB.

My husband travels to the Philippines frequently for work, which is why the question is now coming to our attention. That, and I recently heard that helpers who return home can be exposed to it (it is so prevalent there) and bring it back (to your family) unknowingly.

Of course there are risks in life. Living abroad increases those risks. So does it make sense to give my girls yet another vaccine? One that takes months to heal and leaves a big scar on your arm? Or do we chance it? Hmmm.... getting rid of it once you have it sounds like it can take up to two years. And I have to say, it sounds pretty ugly.

Wish I had some great advice, like drink lots of green tea (you should, it's good for you), but I don't. I don't know what the answer is, but I think I am going to have to get the girls vaccinated. Assess your own risk, consult a doctor and try to make the very best decision you can for you and your family.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tuberculosis/DS00372When