Out of Town Without a Doctor: Treating Sick Kids on Vacation

Hardworking parents can save all year, looking forward to the week when they can spend time with their family and take a vacation. Once on the road, few things strike fear in this parent’s heart more than the plaintive whining of, “I don’t feel good!” One out of every five children have a prescription filled for them in any given month, so it’s likely you’ll have at least one sick kid on vacation during your lifetime. It’s rarely a reason to cancel your vacation plans for the whole family, though, and how you treat the illness can make a difference in everyone’s vacation enjoyment.

Assess the Situation

Look at your child’s symptoms to figure out how sick he or she really is. Don’t rely on the old mom trick of feeling the forehead; get an actual thermometer and take their temperature. Dealing with lowers temps can usually be done in your hotel room, but higher ones may need to be seen by a doctor. Sick kids are often dehydrated, but don’t want anything to eat or drink. Popsicles will fit the bill, and it’s the rare kid who can resist popsicles for dinner, especially if you tell them their siblings can’t have any. Check for rashes, weakness and any other symptoms to help diagnose the problem.

Look for Causes

If your child is suffering from vomiting or diarrhea, there’s a good chance they may be having a reaction to the local water. Kids who feel sick as soon as they arrive at their destination may be having a motion sickness reaction. Try to find a logical explanation for your child’s symptoms, then see if they go away when you change the situation.

Missing Out on the Fun

Unfortunately, unless your child has a cold with no fever, he or she will probably miss at least one day of planned vacation activities. If you have tickets to a theme park or other activity, go online or call to find out their policy for missing an activity due to illness. You may be able to get a make-up ticket for another event or a day later in the year. Whatever happens, if there are two adults on the trip, one of them should take the rest of the family on the planned excursion, if possible. Take lots of action pictures, get autographs and notes for the sick child from significant people from your destination, and pick up a special souvenir for them that no one else can have.

If it Gets Serious

If it’s more serious than the sniffles or a night of vomiting, you probably need to get your child medical attention. This can be difficult and expensive hundreds of miles from home, not to mention taking hours on end to accomplish. There are certain childhood illnesses, such as an ear infection, that you know warrant a prescription but not a full work-up. In situations like these, an online doctor is a great option. These board-certified physicians can diagnose minor illnesses and write prescriptions to antibiotics and other basic meds, sending them to the closest pharmacy. For most childhood illnesses on vacation, this may be all the medical care you need.

About the Author:

Annie Moore: Raised by hippie parents on a commune in Oregon, Annie is a healthy lifestyle blogger and mother of two kids, ages 2 and 4.