beherernow

My daughter will be spending the summer in Quito on an internship working for Catholic Relief Services and Fair Trade issues. I think she will be staying in a home, but does anyone have any general advice for a worried mom? Especially about health and safety issues about which I should be concerned? Thanks.

drdawggy

The quality of health care is quite good in Quito. The water is not drinkable, but safe enough for showers. Bottled water is readily available and not expensive.

Safety...depends on the part of town in which she is staying and the caution she takes. Read the US State Department Travel Advisory for Ecuador for notes on specific parts of town to avoid. www.state.gov

As a stong supporter of Fair Trade, I applaud your daughter's desire to complete an internship with an ngo that works toward social and economic justice!!!

suze

Isn't Quito high? Is the altitude a concern as far as needing medication for that?

misqui

Altitude is not a problem after a few days of adjustment. For health, health care is OK at the good, private hospitals - so find those out before she goes so that she can easily access them if needed. I'd recommend that she go to the best hospitals in Quito if she has an emergency - I did when I lived there and got very good care. You pay out of pocket buy most insurances will reimburse.

The most likely health problem is probably getting sick from the water or food, but if she's careful that should be less of a problem.

Safety can be a concern but staying with a local family will help tons, since they can tell her where to go and where not to go, and will probably be overprotective of her.

Percy

No problem with altitude in Quito.

Percy

Jeff_Costa_Rica

I don't think anyone can say that altitude is no problem in Quito (9,500 feet/2,900 meters). It will affect some people, and won't affect others. Gosh, I know people who get wiped out when they go to Denver. I think the most anyone can answer to a question such as this is how it affected them. I had the same experience that most other people seem to have: felt a bit short of breath immediately after arrival, so didn't rush around like a crazed tourist for the first day, and got along fine. I had already had previous trips to Cusco (1,000 feet higher) and La Paz (3,000 feet higher) under my belt, so Quito seemed like a piece of cake to me. Would it have been if that were my first time at similar altitudes? I can't say.

Some people need to resort to other measures, such as taking acetazolamide for prevention of altitude effects. Personally, that seems a bit extreme to me for Quito, but if that's what they need to do, then so be it.

Percy

I also have been to Cusco and to Machu Picchu.
.
I have not had anyone that I know have trouble with altitude in Quito.

I worried about this the first time I went to Quito...but for ME,I had no effect at all.

Altitude sickness has nothing to do with your states of health.
So there is no way you can prepare for it.

Yes, some people use Diamox as Jeff has mentioned, for some people the side effects were worse than the sickness.

I also worried a bit about Cusco last month, but again I had no effects whatsoever......lucky me

Wish I could be more helpful

Percy

beherernow

Thank you for the helpful responses. She will be staying with a family during her internship, and the staff she will be working with already seems to have an eye out for her. I also printed out the Blue Cross guide for Quito with the extensive list of hospitals and doctors that I hope she won't need. She had a bad bout with traveller's disease in Mexico last fall, so I am worried about that.
Her doctor did prescribe the altitude medicine, and she is going to try it today to see the effects before she actually travels this Wednesday.
I noticed the weather is rain, rain, rain. Should this let up in June sometime?

beherernow

My daughter arrived safely and has not had altitude illness, thank goodness! However, something I didn't read anywhere was that Quito has high pollution levels! She is complaining of mild headache and some minor respiratory problems. Apparently, the combination of industry and diesel fuel has made Quito not a breathing-friendly place. Didn't read that anywhere.
Any advice about how to minimize this exposure? I am a little concerned. Thanks.

BillJ

I'm no doctor, but don't blame it on pollution too quick. Could be the dreaded sinus infection that can be a result of a long flight. Had them many times. All the symptoms of flu/bad cold. Eventually anti-biotics are needed. She's will probably be fine. Sounds like a good support network.
Altitude can also cause those kind of minor symptoms you describe.
Give her a week or so. Bet she's OK.

nonstop

when I was in Quito, I had had pounding headache from the Altitude the first night. I went over the Andes the next day and as soon as I got to the lower altitudes the headache went away. 7 Days later coming back up from the eastern side of the Andes, the headache returned when I got back to Quito. When I flew out of Quito, the headache went away--she is probably expeiencing the altitude. It's pretty high.

beherernow

Actually, she does feel better, so I guess I was an over-worried mom. Now, she's trying to find out where the Anerican students hang out, as she works with mostly local, middle-aged, family types during the week, so she's looking for some Americans to go sight seeing with on the weekends. She doesn't feel too comfortable going too many places by herself. I've recommended checking out any nearby universities and their language programs that might have outings(seems to be a popular thing in Quito), so I hope she hooks up with some buddies soon. I also suggested checking out local travel agencies for day trips. She was in Sevilla, Spain during the Spring 2006, so she's had some experience doing that.
Thanks for everyone's kind advice so far

wmcca3

She should expect intestinal problems at some time. But typically nothing dangerous. Bottled water by the gallon is very inexpensive, under a dollar.

I think biggest problem is that you can't rely on the sun to give you directions without thinking carefully. A quarter of the year the sun is in the north, another quarter of the year it is in the south. In between it is overhead. So directions using north, south, east, and west aren't easily put in to play.