The Travel Doctor - Flu Shot

With the increasing mobility of families, more children are traveling to developing countries. A visit to a pediatrician or a traveler's clinic should be scheduled at least one month before departure to allow for completion of pre-travel preparation and immunizations. Parents of children with food allergies should be reminded that adherence to special diets may be impossible in certain settings.

A leading cause of death in travelers is vehicular injury. Automobile seat belts are sometimes unavailable in developing countries, and infant seats are often nonexistent. If possible, parents should carry child seats with them and try to obtain seat belts that can be attached to cars.

Make sure you supervise your child at all times. A common cause of hospitalization of children in the tropics is ingestion of poisonous plants or easily accessible drugs (especially antimalarials). For older adolescents, routine counseling on sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection should be reemphasized.

Remember that young children require frequent rest and refreshment stops, especially for fluid replacement in hot climates. Children also don't seem to tolerate as well as adults. Air conditioned hotels may be preferable to accommodations that are more desirable for adults that want to experience the "real outdoors."

Also, remember that you will most likely be traveling for long periods of time in an airplane, car, bus or train. Children often get bored easily. Make sure that you bring some of their "essential" items like their toys, favorite games, and books.

They will have something to occupy their time when they get tired or things get boring. This kind of common-sense pre-travel planning will always make the difference between a fun and disastrous trip with children.

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