Boo-boos happen.  So do fevers and mosquitoes and diarrhea and black flies and rashes and…

Yikes! Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it?  Especially when you are on the road and miles away from your fave pediatrician.

If, by chance, you are looking for something truly entertaining and fun to read right now…perhaps you should click on one of my destination articles or pick up a good book of puns.  But I suggest you continue on and read up on ‘Rx On The Road’ for you and your travelling family.  Remember The Travelling Kid Motto:  “Pack your Patience and Be Prepared!”  With that in mind, here are some suggestions for preparing for Rx On The Road.

1. NOTE:  Remember these are my own personal Rx suggestions and I think they will serve as a pretty good guideline.  In all cases I suggest you consult your own pediatrician and/or GP for their recommendations for your particular destination and do your own research as well.  In some situations the family may need specific meds or may need to get some sort of inoculations.  (check out:  www.mdtravelhealth.com) Be proactive in your decision-making.  Prior to a trip to Africa I discovered what a horrible drug the suggested anti-malarial was.  I researched less horrible alternatives and put the family on that regimen.  Again, this is between you and your doctor.  For some destinations the preventative

   

   vaccines are optional and in some cases they are REQUIRED by the country for entry.  For all prescribed items, make sure to bring the documentation.  Some airports require it.
   

Here we go.

WHAT TO BRING

You will need a mini kit for your carry-on that adheres to security regulations and you can bring the ‘rest’ of the Rx kit in your checked luggage.   I personally opt for natural and homeopathic versions of most meds, but you might not.  I have listed brand name meds in many cases for easy identification of the ‘type’ of meds I recommend.  What you bring is up to you and your doctor. 

The carry-on regulations vary airport to airport, but in general all liquids and gels must be in containers of 3 oz. (100 ml. in Europe) or less.  All your liquids and gels containers must fit inside a single quart sized Ziploc bag.  This is a very strict rule.  If you have a 4 oz. container that is only half full they will take it.  No joke.  The security people are not into doing creative math.  They will just toss your stuff in the bin.

CARRY-ON MED KIT

On board I try to have the following meds for kids AND Moms and Dads:

For Moms and Dads: 

1.  Aspirin (helps if you have a headache and I take it before a flight because it seems to help with swelling of ankles, etc.) 

2.  Emergen-C (a powdered vitamin supplement that helps with jet lag.  It comes in several yummy flavors, but I always take the cranberry which has cranberry powder in it and helps prevent bladder infections).

3.  Eye drops and lip balm.  It’s dry up there. 

4.  Any prescription meds, including antibiotics.  Have your doc prescribe some for you and your child to take with you ‘just in case’.

5.  Decongestant.  Remember tablets vs. gel filled or it will take up real estate in your Ziploc.

6.  An Antidiarrheal (tabs not gel)

7.  Tummy helpers like Tums and/or Pepto-Bismol Chewable tablets.

8.  Individual packets of witch hazel. I buy witch-hazel individual packets in bulk.  I travel with them wherever I go. Witch Hazel has astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.  Not only is it great for scraped knees, bug bites and the like, witch-hazel is a natural deodorant.  The packets are small and fit anywhere. You can also wash yourself anywhere…I mean anywhere with these.  Good for hemorrhoids, poison ivy and exzema.  It can also be used as a sore muscle compress or on your zits.  Also great for strange toilets, ice cream spillage, icky hands, anything.  It’s a miracle cure!

9.  Small vials of lavender and geranium essential oils. Lavender (antiseptic and smells good) and geranium (repels bugs and smells good).  On the ground you can make a bad smelling room smell good, scent your pillow, put the oil on a bug bite, prevent a bug bite, etc.  I put them in my carry-on in case my luggage is lost – because I find the oils to be essential.  (pun kind of intended)

10.Band-aids

11.Olbas inhaler (A eucalyptus/menthol inhaler that can help your sinuses.  Also works well for motion sickness)

12.Prescriptions for contacts, glasses or meds in case of emergency.

13.Saline nasal spray

14.Some people take sleep meds on planes.  I don’t recommend doing that when travelling with children.

For Kids:

1.Hyland Homeopathic vitamin C

2.Homeopathic chamomile

3.Homeopathic eardrops and/or tabs

4.  Triaminic or Benadryl.  Consult your pediatrician on this one.  I did.  He is fine with it.  I use Triaminic and it really helps my son with his sinuses and ears.  I forgot to use it on my return from the UK recently and he suffered. You may have to administer the dose prior to clearing security in light of new regulations or if your child is old enough you can buy chewables or meltaways.  Again - CONSULT your doctor - these meds may not be right for your kids.

5.Tylenol.  Try meltaways instead of liquid.

6.A thermometer

7.Teething tablets for infants.

                 8.   Little Noses Saline Spray (This is a special one for kids)

1. NOTE: If you give liquid Triaminic or Benadryl to your kids to help with their sinuses and ears, you will have to decant them (the meds, not the kids) into a small container.  Better yet give the meds to the kids in the terminal before clearing security in case you get an overzealous security person.  There are some chewable and ‘meltaway’ varieties of Triaminic and Benadryl as well, but some are only for older kids dosage-wise.  You may also want to get a letter from your pediatrician and, in fact the doc’s office may have ‘sample sizes’ of the meds they can give you for the trip.  As of this writing the TSA is allowing 3 oz. of over the counter meds.  In general, it is an excellent idea to get letters from your physician for any meds you may travel with.  Again - CONSULT your doctor - these meds may not be right for your kids.
   

THE CHECKED LUGGAGE MED KIT

There’s really nothing like cherry red liquid cough syrup on your white linen shirt.  Mmm-mn.  Note to self: double…make that triple Ziploc anything that could leak or spill in your checked luggage.

            Here are some suggestions for your med kit: 

1.Larger bits of all of the items I mentioned for the carry-on above.

2.Aloe Vera Gel. It cools and soothes minor skin irritations, abrasions, and sunburns.  Aloe can turn a sunburn around overnight.  You can get it at most healthfood stores or online.  Make sure you are buying the topical gel (not ingestible liquid) with the highest percentage of aloe you can find because some commercial brands at places like Walgreen’s are just green junk and have little healing properties.

3.Zinc lozenges.  Take one if you feel that ‘scratchy throat’ beginning or any type of cold.  They will also help speed up healing a cold.

4.Citronella essential oil and/or incense.  Repels bugs.

5.Bug repellent for places that are hot spots for mosquitoes and black flies.  Some people will recommend products with DEET.  I personally don’t want that chemical on my travelling family’s delicate epidermis.  I use BITE-BLOCKER (www.biteblocker.com) It is a great DEET alternative and it works well.  I used it in Brazil and my husband (“I never get mosquito bites”) didn’t.  See story about doctors abroad, below.

                 6.  Neosporin (triple antibiotic cream)

                 7.Hydrocortisone cream

                 8.Dramamine

9.Sunscreen.  As a former surfer, I take my sunscreen seriously.  I use a brand that is truly effective called ProSport.  They have a kid version called Rubber Ducky.  It’s the same formula as the other, but makes parents calmer with the Rubber Ducky name. (www.solrx.com) It is not as icky and sticky as many other waterproofs.  Many movie makeup artists use this product under stars’ make-up when shooting outdoors.  I also like the spray bottle version of BULLFROG for kids (“Kids UV Defender”).  I usually slather on the ProSport before going out and then take the spray for touch ups while out playing in the sun.  Easier to hit the moving targets.

10.California Baby Diaper Rash Cream.  NOT just for diaper rash.  All natural anti fungal and antibacterial it is good for cuts, burns and rashes of all kinds and you can use it on zits.  It’s got tea tree oil, aloe vera, lavender, vitamin E and zinc in it. The ingredients are natural and healing.  (www.californiababy.com)

11.Small scissors, gauze and tape.

12.Small flashlight

1. NOTE:  Take a moment and make some notes about your particular personal and family medical needs – right down to the baby whose bottom becomes rashy the minute a perfumed diaper wipe touches it.  Even though wipes are not a ‘med’ you may need to bring more wipes than the average travelling parent of a baby because although wipes are widely available, you may not be able to find a non-perfumed variety.  Just think about those special personal items you need for you and your travelling family’s physical comfort.  I, for example always take my Olbas inhaler.  Can’t live without it and it is not a widely available item. 
   

DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS ABROAD AND MEDICAL INSURANCE

Because you never know when your kid will decide to jump from high places or perhaps, you yourself, might walk into a pole while trying to monitor your kid from jumping from high places.

First of all…I suggest taking a cell phone with you that you KNOW will work where you are going to be.  If you don’t have one already and/or don’t have a SIM for the country you are going to I suggest Cellular Abroad. (www.cellularabroad.com) For example, in Brazil, my husband was bitten so badly by black flies and mosquitoes that we had to take him to the doctor.  I had purchased insurance from CSA Travel Protection (more on that later).  We were basically in the middle of nowhere in a little fishing village and as we headed for Sao Paulo I called the insurance company from the car to help us figure out what to do.  The bug bite bad luck was a minor incident.  Use your imagination for more major incidents where having a cell phone might come in handy.

Make sure to keep your personal doctor’s numbers in an accessible place.  We called our pediatrician from Paris on New Year’s Day when my son had a very high fever.  Thankfully we have an awesome pediatrician who is very available to his patients.  Not all are.  Which brings me to dealing with doctors, hospitals and pharmacies on foreign soil.  Luckily we didn’t have to try to find a doctor or pharmacy in Paris on a day when everything was closed.  “Advancing” your Rx a little is not a bad idea, because you never know where or when you might need it.  I am not a medical expert, so you should do some of your own reconnaissance on these issues, but here are some things to think about:

INSURANCE:  Call your US insurance company and find out what their policy covers and what it doesn’t cover outside of your place of residence.  Based on that information you may or may not decide to look into other options. 

a.CREDIT CARDS: Some credit cards have Global assistance of some sort and some include some medical things like emergency evacuation, etc.  For example my American Express Card has a Global Assist Hotline and offers help with locating physicians and replacing prescriptions.  In some cases for insurance to kick in you will have to have paid for the trip on THAT credit card.  In all cases, read the fine print.

b.TRAVEL INSURANCE:  I sometimes buy travel insurance policies, depending on the trip and the people going with us.  For example, we went to Tokyo and took our babysitter who is a student from Brazil.  We bought one kind of insurance for her (more comprehensive because her student health insurance did not cover her outside the US) and one kind for us.  For example, if you are going to a small country in Africa on Safari I would FOR SURE get medical evacuation insurance.  If you were going to Paris you probably wouldn’t need that.  Not all policies include emergency medical evacuation.  There are DOZENS of insurance companies that cover tons of different things.  I have used CSA (www.csatravelprotection.com) several times.  They were very responsive when we called from Brazil and when my cellphone was pinched in Paris they covered it.  So far, so good.  Make sure to read all the fine print – some policies only kick in after your personal insurance has been tapped and the policies change all the time.  Also benefits will vary by company and by the plan you choose.  I would make sure that your policy provides a 24 hour support center, will guarantee paying medical expenses abroad and emergency medical evacuation.  Odds are your personal policy does not cover you for evacuation. There are companies, such as MEDEX, SOS, MedJetAssist and Travel Guard that specialize in evacuation insurance.  Some offer annual memberships for families.  You can compare policies at www.insuremytrip.com.

DOCS AND HOSPITALS AND PHARMACIES:  Broken arms, bee stings, flu…you name it…can happen to you and your travelling family.  We’ve been lucky.  So far we’ve survived some fevers and three insect incidents.  My now, 27 year old stepson got stung by a bee in Athens and he had a terrible reaction to it.  Thank goodness pharmacies there are equipped to deal with those kinds of things.  In fact, pharmacies in many, many countries are sort of de facto mini med clinics complete with pharmacists that can see what the problem is and get you what you need right there and then.  Every country is different and not all countries have a pharmacy down the block.  I was bitten by a deadly brown recluse spider in Tanzania and discovered the painless bite oozing goop down my leg while squatting in an outhouse deep inside the Ngorongoro Crater...far from any medical help.  Luckily I was already on high doses of doxycycline as an anti-malarial, which just happens to be a treatment for this kind of bite.  If I wasn’t…what would I have done?  I didn’t have a plan.

So, for more serious problems you will want to identify some sources before you go that can help you find a doc and/or hospital in an emergency.  Carry the phone numbers with you and if they are US based make sure you have the direct number, not the 800 number because you cannot dial an 800 number from abroad. 

Here are some resources for Rx on the road.

1.As mentioned before, some credit card companies offer assistance in locating physicians.

2.Travel Insurance Companies will help you locate a doctor/hospital.

3.Your own insurance company may have global services.  Ours does.

4.A friend/acquaintance in the country you are visiting

5.Hotel Concierges.  When I was travelling with Aerosmith a band member’s daughter got sick.  The concierge at the Hilton in Munich had a house doctor in the room within 5 minutes.

6.Your own pediatrician/doc.  They may be able to offer enough advice over the phone to get you through a particular problem and/or may have a source for you.

Don’t let all of this emergency preparedness scare you.  There are children ALL over the world and there are great doctors and resources in many places.  Chances are no one will get hurt or become sick.  But, being prepared won’t hurt you either.

Just remember the motto:  “Pack Your Patience and Be Prepared!”

RELATED ARTICLES:

WHAT TO TAKE:  CARRY-ON AND BEYOND

NEW TSA REGULATIONS/PACKING TIPS

SAFETY ON THE ROAD

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