Moving to LA for 3 months - update!

[loopsngeorge]

Well only a few weeks to go before we head off to LA and I just wanted to say thanks for the advice I received here a few months ago. In the end we went for an apartment in Pacific Palisades which sounds like a great area for me and DS to spend time in. I've even got a possible place for him at a church pre-school there just for the one term. My only worry is that I'm going to have a long (or rather, slow) drive to take my husband to UCLA but we'll just have to wait and see!
Anyway, I wondered if I could ask a couple more questions - sorry if this should have been on the Living in the US thread...

• I heard something about a requirement for children to have had the chickenpox vaccine in order to attend preschool/playgroups in the US. Is that correct, and do you think a doctor's letter to say that he has had chickenpox will suffice?

• we'll be taking quite a few toys with us I guess, but I wondered if they have the equivalent of our charity shops over there, where I could maybe pick up some old books, jigsaws etc?

Thanks again! Louise

oh how fantatic! you lucky lucky thing.
Why are you going there?
sorry i havent read your previous posts.
am very jealous

They will need a note from the children's US paediatrician. It will be up to him to decide whether the vaccination is necessary or not. The best thing is to get a copy of your DS's vaccination records, and a photocopy of his CP notes or a doctor's letter. It's not just CP that they need to have - they need everything, including Hep B and pneumococcal.

Don't know about California, but in Ohio, there were not charity shops as you have here in the UK (ie filling up vacant shops). The big charity place is Goodwill, and they tend to be on warehouse style sites.

The alternative to charity shops are for profit second-hand shops. These are called Consignment shops.

Thanks scienceteacher, will make an appointment with the GP to get those records then. Thanks for the tips about consignment shops.

Deeny - just off for a term while DH studies at UCLA. Spending loads of money to do it but we're hoping it'll be the trip of a lifetime !

Hi there. We have just moved a few weeks ago. When we were getting ready to come over, the local schools authority told us that the kids needed certain vaccines such as chicken pox (even if they had had it) and hep B. Everything else was the same as home. You cant get the cp vaccine in Scotland (even privately) but when I enrolled ds in his preschool and explained I would do it as soon as poss. they told me that parents cant be forced to give any of the vaccines and that they shouldn't be prevented from attending school for that reason. Dds school was a different matter; they mentioned suspending her because the doctors notes were not clear! All sorted now though. It would be worth speaking to the preschool directly as they seem to be able to make these decissions on an individual basis. Let me know how your plans go and if you have anything else you want to ask. Its a great experience and it sounds like you have found a good place.

Hi DK, thanks for that. I have to phone the preschool once we arrive to go through the enrollment process so I will talk to them about it then. I hope you don't mind me asking but did you get a copy of your daughter's medical notes to take out with you from your Scottish GP? Or just a letter confirming what vaccinations she's had? I've made an appointment with my GP next week but I'm not sure what paperwork to ask for re DS's vaccinations.
Thanks! Just going to start making some packing lists now....aagh!