Travel Healthcare: Avoiding Health Problems on Family Holidays

There are many nasty surprises awaiting today's families on vacation and regardles of where you're on holiday, you could come home with a nasty souvenir. Firstly, I will list some of the more common illnesses you're more likely to encounter whilst on vacation:

Respiatory Tract Infections:

This is one of the more common ailments you can pick up whilst on vacation and can range in severity from a cold or flu to pneumonia. People are more susceptible when they're abroad and the only course of action is to bring along a course of antibiotics "just in case".

Stomach Infections:

A survey has shown that about half of people on vacation will get diarrhea during their holiday. Although this can be a horrible experience it is not as serious as other vacation ailments. It will destroy your vacation for a few days and once you keep yourself well hydrated, it should soon pass. For many, it is the change in diet which leads to change in bowel movements. To minimize your chances of contracting diarrhoea, drink bottled water, brush your teeth with bottled water, stay away from ice cubes and ensure all foods have been cooked correctly.

Mosquito-borne Diseases:

If you are taking a vacation to certain parts of the world which are at risk from mosquito-bourne diseases such as dengue fever, yellow fever, malaria and chikungunya perhaps you should consider a vaccine to prevent the onset of these diseases. In most cases the best medicine is prevention. A few tips to prevent getting bitten by mosquitos is to wear long-sleeves, long trousers, socks and shose which will minimize skin exposure. Insect screens and nets are also very useful.

Existing Ailments:

Taking medication along for existing ailments is a "must do". Always be prepared and if you take a lot of medication perhaps your doctor can give you a script in the event of something happening so that you can make your condition aware to new doctors. Always carry a spare note of any medication you are taking as brand names may differ from country to country.

For Children:

Children may experience tiredness on arrival expecially if you have flown to a different time zone. You must give everyone time and space to adjust to your new environs e.g, let older children watch TV, try to put the babies and toddlers down for a nap and try to unwind yourself. Ensure that during your vacation you allow ample time for your children to sleep and keep a balanced sleeping pattern at all tims.

Eating out is one of the pleasures of vacations but with young children, the pleasure can turn into a nightmare. The key is to choose correctly and not to allow young children eat anything that they would not eat at home. Other dangers to watch out for is sun, sand and sea; they all represent danger as well as pleasure, if you select a beach vacation, don't forget the sunscreens,protection creams, sunglasses, hats and any other relevant beach gear. Always stay close to young children when in public spaces.

If you follow these few travel tips you should have a wonderful family vacation, recharge your batteries and spend family quality time together. Learning to compromize about what to do each day can be stressful however, the key is to open to new experiences yourself, your partner and for your children.