Germaphobe Moms, Take Heart: You Can Enjoy Your Family Vacation

 

Everyone knows a mom who is a complete germaphobe. She carries hand sanitizer and face wipes everywhere she goes. She lives in fear that her kids will catch something from the other kids at school. Maybe this is you? Maybe a little bit?  When it comes time to hit the road for a summertime family vacation, you’ve got your sanitizer kit packed up and ready to go. Toilet seat covers? Check. Antiseptic hand wipes? Check. Surgical masks? Here are some tips to stay healthy on your next family trip:

Do Research

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posts travel notices to inform vacationers of health issues across the globe. There is also information and tips about food safety, insect bite protection and water drinking precautions available.

 

Hands: Wash or Sanitize?

Whenever possible, Dr. Steve O’Brien, the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s vice president of medical affairs, recommends hand-washing over sanitizing. Sanitizers kill good bacteria and can dry the skin. Dry skin can cause cracking, which exposes people to even more germs.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

When riding in the confined spaces of a train, bus and plane, it is nearly impossible to escape the germs of those coughing or sneezing. A surgical mask works well to thwart illnesses such as the flu and whooping cough. Typical surgical masks are inexpensive, usually about $6 for 50 masks.

Of course, not everyone wants to be so conspicuous. Here’s where hand sanitizer is helpful. Remember, if you’re flying, the bottle must be less than 3 ounces to take it on the plane.

At the Hotel

Once at the hotel, there are other germs to worry about. The pool and hot tub are always of concern. If not properly chlorinated, the pool and hot tub could be swimming with its own group of germs and parasitic inhabitants.

Some recreational water illnesses (RWIs) include:

• E. Coli – This bacteria can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections and pneumonia
• Shigella – This bacterium causes fever, stomach cramps and diarrhea
• Giardia and Cryptosporidium (Crypto) – These parasites cause diarrhea

 

Avoiding RWIs

Consider taking test strips with you to check the pH and chlorine levels in the pool and hot tub. Easy to read and fast, these test strips are available at superstores, pool supply stores and hardware stores. Test strips are inexpensive, starting at $11 for 50 strips.

Here’s how to stay healthy at the pool and in the hot tub:

• Shower with soap before entering the pool or hot tub
• Babies should be wearing swim diapers
• Diapers should be checked every half an hour or so, and children need bathroom breaks every    hour
• Wash hands thoroughly after using the washroom or changing diapers
• Avoid swallowing the water

The Hot Tub

• Children younger than 5 should not enter the hot tub
• The temperature should never exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius)
• Hot tub filters    ensure the recycled water is constantly cleaned; ask at the front desk the last time theirs was changed

Once mom knows everyone is safe, she can enjoy her vacation, too.

 

About the Author:

Terry Green is a full time mom and health, wellness and environmental writer from Cleveland.

 

Photo courtesy of Flickr:

Photo (top) courtesy of Flickr:

0