Families Health And Safety Guide

Documents

• Passports and visas (plus photocopies)
• Vaccination documents (if required)
• Hotel, transfer and flight documentation
• Travel insurance certificates

Seasonal clothing

• Hats/Sunglasses
• Sun screen
• Light, breathable, clothing to help prevent mosquito bites
• Closed, protective and non-slippery shoes that are easy to put on and take off
• An umbrella and a waterproof, windbreaker jacket
• A second set of clothing in case of accidents or injuries

Baby Gear

• Socket protectors to childproof electrical outlets at your hotel
• Drink bottles to avoid dehydration
• Car seat (some countries don’t provide car seats for children)
• Collapsible stroller (bring your own to be sure of the quality)

Medical Supplies

All families should carry a first-aid kit, but it’s especially important for families travelling off the beaten path when you won’t be able to reach convenience stores or chemists. There are plenty of small travel first-aid kits that are easy to carry.

Your first aid kit should contain:

Communicate

Keep your teen safe by ensuring they have a mobile phone with roaming, or have purchased a local SIM card to keep in touch with you. Even if they’re just chilling at the hotel’s pool, make sure you know where they are or where they’re heading to. 

Meet up often

If you allow your teens to wander, set certain meeting points and times throughout the day for them to check in with you. You don’t have to be with them every single moment, but it’s important you meet up intermittently so you know they’re okay.

Put the hotel’s business card in their wallet so if they’re lost, they’ll be able to show the card to a taxi driver and find their way back to the hotel.

Share the holiday planning

Teens are master collectors of internet knowledge. Give your teen the task of researching the destination before you go so that they’re familiar with the area and any scams involving tourists. Encourage them to learn about local laws and customs so they don’t break or offend them when you aren’t around. 

Pack a small travel health kit

Your teen can then treat minor scrapes, sunburn, diarrhoea and headaches on their own. Make sure they know how to take the medication and how to use the items.

Explain to your teen that they need to eat properly and keep hydrated, and regularly apply insect repellent and sunscreen.

Find safe activities

Choose safe adventure sports for adventurous teens, and always book activities through a reputable company.

Teen clubs are a great way for teens up to age 17 to meet one another in a safe environment while on holiday.

Remind teens to look after their belongings

Tell your teen that they should keep their belongings close and secure, and be aware of their surroundings at all times.

Remind your teen that flashing expensive phones or tablets around puts them at risk for theft.

Motion Sickness

While many people suffer from motion sickness, it’s common in children between the age of 2 and 12 who are exposed to certain types of movement, such as long or winding car rides (or shaky home videos). Symptoms include dizziness, tiredness, headache, sweating, burping, nausea and vomiting.

Sea Sickness

Like motion sickness, sea sickness can occur in anyone. It’s brought on by a mismatch between the rocking of the ship and your body’s natural inclination for balance. Symptoms of sea sickness include dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting.

Gastrointestinal illness/food poisoning

Food poisoning is a type of gastroenteritis caused by bacteria in undercooked or poorly prepared food. Known on cruise ships as Norovirus, it’s easily spread between passengers, including babies and children. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache, and loose stools.

Before you travel:

• Ask your doctor for medication which may help with motion sickness.
• If you’re travelling on a cruise, book an outside cabin in the middle of the ship to help reduce the amount of rockiness you may feel on-board.
• Pack plenty of hand sanitiser and wipes.
• Eat light meals before you depart and don’t travel on a heavy stomach.

While travelling:

• Eat small, light meals and avoid heavy, fatty foods.
• Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before meals.
• If your child falls ill either from motion sickness or gastroenteritis, give them plenty of water and rest.
• Avoid giving your child dairy products for at least 3 days after they recover from gastroenteritis.
• Your child may not feel like eating, but don’t stop feeding them for more than 24 hours.
• Avoid restaurants or street food vendors that aren’t clean or don’t have a good reputation amongst tourists.

Seek urgent medical attention:

• If your child has severe abdominal pain.
• If they can’t keep fluid down for at least 30 minutes.
• If your child has blood in their diarrhoea.
• If your child is less than a year old and has symptoms of food poisoning.

Before you travel:

• Dress your child in bright clothing so they’re easier to seek out in a crowd.
• If your kids are old enough, familiarise them with a meeting point they can reach easily in the event they’re lost.
• If you can, invest in a wearable tracking device for each child.
• Take a photograph of your children on your smart phone before you head out sightseeing.
• Speak to your children about crowd safety before you depart on holiday. Develop a plan they can follow if they become lost, such as seeking out the police, a lifeguard or a mother with children.
• Give older children your mobile phone number, and write it on the arms of younger children with a permanent marker. Make sure they know their full name, the names of their parents, and the hotel where they are staying.
• Use a buddy system. If you have the same amount of adults and children in your group, assign one adult to watch one child at all times.
• Make sure all members of the family know the plan for the day. If the plan changes, let them know immediately.

What should I do if my child is lost?

• Don’t panic. Your mind may be racing with thoughts of child abduction, but you’ll need to focus and stay calm to find your child.
• Keep still for a few minutes. You and your child may have lost sight of one another and you won’t hear them call for you if you begin running through the crowd straight away.
• Ask for help. Most people around you will help if they are aware of the situation. Seek out a police officer or official and let them know what has happened.
• As hard as it is to stand and wait, do so if officials ask you to. They are trained to search for missing children.