How to Avoid Getting Sick on Vacation
Occasionally we’ve been cursed with a horrific gastro bug ripping through the house. Usually I’m the last one to get it. I’ll sit smug in the knowledge of my superior handwashing protocols. Then I’m the one flattened for days, instead of for about 18 hours.
Sick on Vacation Sucks
Imagine how upset and frustrated you’d be if this was you on your one and only week away with the kids? Instead of playing at the beach or pool, you’re shivering in your “towel nest” on the bathroom floor?
I’ve been there. Fun times!
FYI: Disney-speak for a puddle of vomit is, “Protein Spill.”
Paging Dr. Google…
In my previous life, most on-vacation ailments were totally self-inflicted. Usually it was too much sun, too much alcohol, or too much rich food… or any and all combinations therein.
But as we all know, the babies, toddlers, and children we know and love introduce us to wide arrays of new and gross and previously unimaginable illnesses. Trust me when I say, Dr. Google is not your friend when doing an image search of “rash.”
The Runs Are No Fun
So how can we prevent our beloved germ machines from spoiling our hard-earned family vacations? Not only do we not want to play nurse instead of sandcastle architect, we want to avoid getting sick on vacation ourselves!
I’ve focused on traveler’s diarrhea and vomiting here in this far-too-long intro because it’s typically the most common vacation ailment. According to a study conducted by Leger and Valneva, it is estimated that 30 to 70% of travellers who visit a tropical or subtropical region will have at least one episode of diarrhea, which may last three to five days.
But there are LOTS of ways that a trip can be derailed by accidents or by illness, especially with kids.
10 Tips to Stay Safe and Avoid Getting Sick on Vacation with Babies and Kids:
#10 – Sun Safety
Whether it’s your summer vacation getaway or a week in Mexico or the Caribbean to escape winter, practicing sun safety is essential to stay healthy. Sunscreen and/or SPF swimwear is a must for every member of your family. Don’t forget about protecting heads and eyes with hats and sunglasses.
T his is easier said than done. My kids HATED wearing hats. I bought baby sun hats with ties instead of Velcro that were harder for them to rip off. And we kept them so busy and engaged they eventually forgot they were wearing them.
Stick to the shade, take along a portable beach umbrella if need be, and take a break inside during peak UV times between 10am and 3pm. Make sure to drink lots and lots of water and offer extra feeds to exclusively breastfed babies.
#9 – Water Safety
Even if your kids are strong swimmers and are used to being around water, you can never be too careful. Stay within arm’s reach when in or near the water. Bring your own infant or toddler life jacket if you’re not sure that your hotel or resort will provide them (or have enough). If your kid’s a bolter, put them in it full-time while at the beach or by the pool. If you’re not a strong swimmer and are heading out on a boat excursion, wear a life jacket or floatation device yourself.
Tropical beaches can also introduce your children to tropical creatures, and not necessarily in the nicest ways! Both of my children were stung by jellyfish in Negril, Jamaica. And (I would never have believed it had I not seen it) a little crab pinched my daughter’s toe in Florida and hung on for dear life.
Sorry, Mr. Crab
In both cases, prompt attention prevented reactions more serious than screaming and wailing.
The jellyfish stings were initially eased by rubbing on gin with napkins at the beach bar (no joke) until the doctor could take a look. We then washed the welts with vinegar. My daughter required a steroid shot in the butt because the welts were quite raised.
And I’m sorry to say. .. M y initial reaction to seeing the crab attached to my daughter’s foot (she thought she stepped on a seashell and it was stuck) was to yell for her dad, who ( sorry, Mr. Crab ) grabbed him and flung him onto the sand.
#8 – Accident Prevention
We had to basically pad our entire home to keep our kiddos (and our possessions) safe when they were newly mobile. Unfortunately, hotels and family hosts aren’t always so accommodating.
If possible, request a ground or lower floor hotel room with a terrace instead of a balcony (also helpful with managing a stroller). Ensure any doors and windows cannot be easily opened by clever toddlers.
And always travel with a roll of duct tape (packed in checked luggage, not carry-on). This can quickly baby-proof a hotel room by covering electrical outlets, securing blind and electrical cords, and padding super-sharp corners on furniture.
#7 – Insect Bite Prevention
Not only are insect bites itchy and unpleasant, with the extra added fun of Zika and other mosquito-borne illnesses , they can make you or your children quite sick.
Instances of Zika, Chikungunya, Dengue, and Malaria in the Caribbean and Mexico are rare, but rare is not never. Make sure you pack an effective, child-friendly insect repellant. Use it if you are out and about during mosquito peak times like dawn and dusk, and if you will be heading off-resort on hikes or nature walks.
Don’t put insect repellant on babies younger than six-months-old. Never put it on a baby or toddler’s hands (that usually go straight into their mouths).
We loved this UV stroller net . We used it during stroller naps on our travels. It also helped with some peace of mind with regard to insect bite prevention as well.
#6 – Pack a First Aid Kit
Have essential baby first aid items and other basic medicines on hand. That will help see you through any unexpected maladies without needing to immediately rush out to find a pharmacy.
And keep this kit together in your carry-on bag , in case any checked luggage ends up MIA for any length of time. When traveling with babies, toddlers, and young children, things to include in this kit are:
travel-sized disinfecting liquid (like alcohol or peroxide)
small tube antibiotic ointment
few cotton swabs
assorted bandages
antihistamine
acetaminophen or ibuprofen
travel-sized diaper cream
oral re-hydration unfrozen freeze pops
#5 – Food & Water Safety
Most large resorts in areas with water sanitation issues have their own in-house water purification systems. But, you can never be too careful when your kids are little. It’s best to stick to bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth. I was always paranoid about my kids drinking their bathwater , so I put less water than usual in their tubs and avoided anything cup-like as bath toys.
If you’re nervous, adopt the Peace Corps’ saying to avoid getting sick on vacation, “If you can’t peel it or heat it, don’t eat it.” You are the best judge of how necessary that will be depending on where you’re staying and what your family will be eating. But also keep in mind that just eating a lot more (and a lot more rich food than you may be used to) can set your stomach off. As can an excess of alcohol, especially if you’re out in the sun and not drinking enough water. Controlling yourself at the buffet can be key to avoid getting sick on vacation.
#4 – Hygiene Tips
The sad truth is, most people don’t wash their hands properly after they use the washroom. If at all. (GROSS). Or they still cough into their hands (instead of their elbow) if they’ve got a cold.
And then they touch all of the things that you touch in common areas. Then you absentmindedly nibble on a hangnail or see your toddler pop their thumb in their mouth and, bingo! It’s a cold or flu or Norovirus for all!
This can happen in the nicest and cleanest of places. For me, it was Walt Disney World. For lots of other people, it’s a cruise ship or fancy all-inclusive resort.
To prevent this, you have to wash your hands. A LOT. And sadly, most alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not effective against some germs like Norovirus.
From H1N1 to Covid
