[yusen]

We were told that on August 31,, we will take the children to the Doctors,,, I know they will receivee thier shots... In someones' experience,, are they getting the same US required shots such as for,,, Polio,Mumps,Chicken Pox etc,, that is necessary for school here in the U.S??

[momraine]

One thing I would do is ask for a copy to made by the clinic you go of your kids shots records in English, not just the shots they give them, but any they have already had. From what I have been told Poland immunizes children even in orphanages, so they may have already had most of the required ones. I would also make an appointment for as soon as you get home, just for thier new doctor to meet them and give them any that are not given in Poland, plus to get baseline height and weights and such for future reference. If you give a school a copy of what you get from the clinic in Poland and a note from your local doctor that says you have an appointment and will be getting any other required shots, that should be enough for registration. You will probably want to keep them home for a few days anywaym, just to let them (and you) recover from the travel and all the changes. You can probably make a doctors appointment during those days and then when you go to school the first day you have a complete shot record. The doctor should know what the local schools require.

[LisArno]

Do you have a list of immunizations needed from the school? If not, the school can provide that to you. If possible before your trip to Poland, you might want to talk to the school nurse (assuming there is one) and ask him/her what is needed and what documents are accepted.

http://www.travel.state.gov/pdf/DS-1981.pdf is an immunization form from the State Department regarding international adoptions.

[SingleMama2B]

Yep, MomRaine has it all written down for you.... This is what I did for my DD when we came home.

Also, I don't know about Poland, but Russia sometimes do not store their medications in proper facilities (fridges, etc.), so my Pediatric DR requested that my DD have some blood work drawn (after she was in school - no immediate rush), for a "Thithes" test (I'm sure I messed up the spelling). This test detects what immunizations took effect. If the med/shot that was given when she was younger wasn't good, she would not have the anti-bodies in her system, and would need to be immunized now. She was actually good on all, except, she did need to get the Chicken Pox shot for 1st grade!

Congrats.....

[momraine]

From what I hear Polish medicine is pretty well on par with Western, not like in Russia. My daughter was young enough that she hadn't had them all yet anyway, so I think we did most of them over again. She was from a pretty poor orphanage and had not had very many. From the medical records I have already recieved on my soon to be son, scanty as they are, it looks like he got the same ones my daughter has had (they are close in age) I plan to ask the clinic to give me an English version of her shot records for the school (and I will copy it for the doctors office) I know with my Russian paperwork I ended up not having a separate copy of the shots, just was included in the paperwork that I ended up turning over to immigration. So this time I know to ask for a copy for school. (Oh and karen, get one for each child, they will want them seperate, and not on the same paper for school)

[yusen]

Hey Guys Thank's a Bunch!,, I have made an Appointment with their Doctor for September 6th,,for a meeting for each other,, I may also need to call back for any other needed shots that are not rendured in Poland...
I was curious as to what type of shots they are given just before departure to the US..

[momraine]

I don't know about Poland yet (I hope to learn from your trip!) but in Russia at her appointment she was given no shots, they did a basic, very cursory examination. They gave me some saline drops because she had a cold or something. I didn't use them, because I couldn't read the instructions and weren't sure what they were and so didn't trust them. It took maybe ten minutes. I did have to sign a form saying I was aware she had certain health problems (in her case limb differences, missing some fingers, had some fused and was missing a lot of leg bones, but I had already picked up on that! LOL) I am told that I will have to sign one on my next kid stating that I am aware of his missing limbs. (Like I could miss it?) So if any of them have any issues, you probably need to sign that you are aware. I think I also had to sign that we would get all of her shots within six months in the US, but perhaps she would have had to have some there if she had been older. She was not yet a year old.

[Mom2_4]

Hi Karen,

My trio's required "exit exam" was a bit of a joke. The doctor (the embassy doctor from the country LisArno lives in) gave the kids the quick once over, weighed and measured them, and transcribed their shot record. The whole deal took less than 1/2 hour for which we paid him about $300.00. Not bad work if you can get it.

There is a minimum shot level that has to be recorded for entry into to the U.S. Usually that is met, at least paperwork wise, by Polish standards. You shouldn’t need to get them shots in Poland unless it just happened to be the time to get them.

A couple of things:

My kids records said that they were fully immunized but their "titers" (blood test) taken at the international clinic in the US about 2 weeks after they came home said that didn't have full the immunity to all strains that are covered the MMR (mumps, measles, and rubella) shot.

If you get titers done, you will also find out if they have natural immunity to chicken pox. The current chicken pox shot does not give life long immunity to the disease. Getting the disease as a child usually does impart lifelong immunity.

Also if you have a pain in then neck school nurse like my kid's school nurse (she went out of her way to contact the CDC to find out if Poland was TB risk country), you'll find that you might have to subject the kids to a TB scrape to verify if they are TB free. So do ask during the courtesy exam if the kids got the semi-effective TB shot, which may give them false positive. My kids had had this shot but fortunately they did not react to the scrape.

We got the booster shots (“schoz-tick”) during the first year and the payment for each needle was “fritkey” (French fries).

My oldest two also have tons of necessary dental work but that is whole ‘nother post.

[Mom2_4]

momraine said in part

"You will probably want to keep them home for a few days anyway, just to let them (and you) recover from the travel and all the changes. You can probably make a doctors appointment during those days and then when you go to school the first day you have a complete shot record."

I totally agree with Momraine here. Great advice. You should wait until all of your bodies have adjusted to local time. (Usually takes me about 10 days). Also, don't be afraid to ask the school if the two older children can do part-time for the first week or two they are in school. Get them used to the way you do stuff before you ask them to learn the way that school does stuff too. Also, expect your youngest to be a little freaky when her siblings go to school. She is probably following Anita's lead and without her, she'd be more than a bit lost.

My kids had 3 months (all summer long) of boring family life before they went to school.

[LisArno]

Interesting about the quick exam. For our adoption physicals, I went to a military clinic and received the "yep, she's breathing and has a pulse" exam. My husband went to his German doctor and had a thorough exam, including blood/urine tests and an HIV test. Last year my husband had to go for a physical at a consulate-appointed German physician so he could get a Permanent Residence Card ("Green Card"). I just asked him about that exam - checked everything, including blood/urine tests, a rectal exam, and a "grabbing of private parts"! Glad our darlings don't have to go through that!!!!!

Mom2_4 - Tell us about the dental work. I know my two girls need cavities filled and aren't sure what else (only closed smile photos). Any suggestions?

[lastpaige]

Keep in mind that the state can not force you to vaccinate your children. If you are interested in a form that will wave those 'requirements', let me know and I'll PM you a website that addresses those issues.

[PolishMom]

Yusen -

Both of my children were school aged when they came home. Both needed MMR shots because Poland only gives MR immunizations. Poland also does not give the chicken pox vaccine. Our school required it, or proof of prior outbreak. Of course, I could have refused on grounds of religious freedom or other reason and the school would not have been able to enforce their rules.

All other shot were up to date and in line with US requirements.

[yusen]

Heather,

Thank you,, This is really good to know!

[Exchangesis]

In the public schools here, all kids must be tested for TB before they enter. If your kid has had a BKG (i think thats what its called), which is an immunization for TB, then the regular skin scrap for TB would most likey show up positive, so you will need to get a chest x-ray done. Im not sure if Poland administers this vacine though becaue it is not proven to be very effective