When my kids were younger, it seemed we never had a vacation or holiday without at least one of them getting sick. There were fevers on camping trips and cross-country drives, colds over Christmas and Easter break, and just about any time we planned a “get-away” someone got sick. Often several someones got sick. What is it about holidays and vacations that seem to set the stage for family illnesses?
There always seemed to be two parts to dealing with the holiday and vacation illnesses—one was the attempt to prevent them, and the other was how to cope and take care of a sick child in the midst of a vacation. I can remember a bout of some sort of stomach flu with myself and all three children (ages 5, 6 and 7 at the time) in a hotel room in Missoula, Montana as an example of a vacation illness gone wild.
When my children were younger, I learned to make a doctor’s appointment prior to any holidays or vacation trips—if there were any unnoticed ear infections or colds or other illnesses, the doctor could often see them before the symptoms got too noticeable and we might have the antibiotics or other things we needed prior to actually leaving home. I’d also let the doctor know what we were up to and find out her schedule in case I would need to call for records or consultation while away from home.
On the prevention side, I tried to keep everything as mellow and relaxed as possible prior to a holiday or vacation, as well as during. I had a suspicion that the change in sleep and eating schedules, too much play and excitement, and other temporary changes were hard on immune systems and when their immune systems were compromised; my kids were more likely to get sick.
Of course, sometimes there’s just nothing to do but get through it. Knowing where the urgent care clinic is in the place you are visiting and keeping a well-stocked first-aid kit on hand is a must for any parent with children on holiday. As is a willingness to be flexible and adjust the vacation schedule to accommodate an illness.
See Also: Setting Good Health Examples for our Kids and Teens, Health, and Habits