Travel with children has its unique joys and particular challenges and anxieties. There are a few simple steps you can take to protect your family’s health during your vacation.
Our first recommendation is to make a travel health appointment six to eight weeks ahead of your trip abroad. Our travel clinics in California have plenty of appointments – book one per person to ensure you get tailored travel health advice for your whole family.
Which travel vaccines are typically recommended for children?
When you bring your family for their travel health consultations, the travel health adviser will do a risk assessment for each family member. The recommended vaccines will depend on your child’s medical history, destination and time of year. Some common travel shots recommended for children include:
There are pediatric versions of some vaccines, including those that protect against hepatitis A and B.
You will also want to make sure that your children are up to date with all their routine vaccines, including MMR. These give protection against infectious diseases like measles and chicken pox. Some of these diseases are no longer prevalent in the USA, but are common in other countries.
Children are also vulnerable to malaria and your travel health adviser will tell you if it’s a risk at your destination. They can advise on the right antimalarials for your child and help you to work out when to start and stop taking these tablets.
What steps can I take to keep my children safe while traveling?
Children are more vulnerable to certain health risks while abroad. Their immune systems may be less robust and they are less able to communicate when they are unwell. The same steps that you take to protect yourself will also protect your children. Think in terms of:
- avoid insect and mosquito bites
- safe drinking water
- food hygiene
- sun safety
For formula-fed babies, you are probably better off bringing your own supply as you may not be able to get your usual formula at your destination. Get information about the local water quality, and plan how you will get safe water to prepare your baby’s formula milk and sterilize their feeding equipment.
The CDC has more tips for traveling with children.
Treating diarrhea in children while traveling
Diarrhea is very common in child travelers, but it’s simple to treat. Give lots of fluids and let them rest. Oral rehydration sachets are suitable for children, and easy to get even in developing countries. Note that some of the standard meds that an adult would use like loperamide are not suitable for very young children. If your child seems dehydrated, has a fever or their diarrhea is bloody, seek medical help.
Talking with your family about travel health
Talk with your child before you go about some of the healthcare steps you’ll be taking to protect their health while traveling. These conversations will (perhaps) make them more likely to keep to the rules, comply with things like food safety and wearing sun hats, and less likely to take risks.
Another health topic to discuss with your children before traveling is animals. Children are more at risk from animal bites, and therefore, rabies. Establish rules about not playing with unfamiliar pets and wild animals, and explain that you want them to tell you if an animal bites, scratches or nips them.
Encourage them to ask questions during their travel health appointment, too!
Don’t let concerns about illness spoil your vacation abroad – get travel health advice ahead of your trip.
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