Health & Safety.
From what to pack to where to find help and advice whilst away.
Health & Safety
Safety Abroad - Most importantly before you go on a trip to a country that is a little off the beaten track – even within Europe – it is essential that you contact the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office for advice on the safety of the region.
Do not underestimate the level of unrest within a country or the lack of safety that British citizens can encounter just because you haven’t heard it broadcast on the news. Our media are very prone to reporting a narrow sphere of news and it may not convey fully or at all whether there is a developing situation in your choice of destination that may suddenly turn your holiday into a very real and unpleasant drama.
You may be surprised to learn at the time of writing this article that for different reasons both Andorra and Austria have been flagged up by the FCO for safety reasons! FCO also gives advice on insurance and the availability or otherwise of a British Consulate in a certain destination.
www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad Telephone contact: 0207 008 1500
Emergencies - If you have mobile it is worth the investment of getting a Roamer Chip for use in Emergencies (beware of the cost of social calls). Some SIM cards have Emergency numbers pre-programmed into them. Get some advice about how to use these from your service provider. 999 (UK), 112 (Europe) or 911 (US) are common international numbers. Try and find out the International Emergency number in your holiday destination once you arrive. There have been well-documented cases of individuals who have found themselves in trouble calling home, from where family or friends have been able to raise the alarm effectively – don’t rely on this though – they might have popped to the shops in your hour of need!
Always trust your gut instinct if you get into an awkward situation and remember that travelling with children means that you have to compromise your wanderlust sometimes for their safety.
Looking after your finances - Travellers Cheques are still a firm favourite in the safety stakes when travelling abroad. We found a site that offers advice about getting the most out of your money whilst abroad - www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money pretty hectic and packed with information about how to get the nest deals and in terms of credit card which offers the best deals.
Locally try Batif, which is part of Guernsey Post for currency exchange and ordering of travellers cheques. Their main office is at the Tourist Information Desk.
Carry cash and important documents (passports and travel insurance) should be carried in a secure pouch carried underneath your clothing.
Travel Medical Kit
A medical kit is another essential when you travel. Whether it’s as basic as some sticky plasters and a box of paracetomal, or a bespoke kit put together by a pharmacist you definitely need to have some medication to take with in case of illness or injury.
Locally, Boots are able to help with even the most basic of travel first aid kits. Visit the Pharmacy Department on the lower floor and let them know where you are going, about your intended activities and any relevant information about your family.
They can advise the best over the counter products for you to take to cover most non-urgent cases.
On the top floor Boots stock the all important sun and UV protection lotions and have a trained sales assistant to advise on the most appropriate creams to use for your skin type and destination. Click here for Boots Travel Check List
Health
The World Health Organisation gives good information and updates for travellers about health, disease or epidemic/pandemic hot spots and even a guide to safe food.
There is a useful link to follow that gives you a comprehensive list of websites by country that are relevant to travel and health
Visit their website for more information – this link will take you directly to the relevant area.
www.who.int/ith/en/index.html
Innoculations - For infomation and advice about the various Innoculations required for foreign travel contact your GP. Link *Click here * for a list of local Surgeries or visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at www.fco.gov.uk/travel
Heat and Sunburn - if you're heading for the heat, choose clothes made from natural fibres - sweat irritates delicate skins and can lead to prickly heat or sweat rash. Expect to change your baby up to three times a day - particularly if they're not used to the heat and will sweat a lot. Children will need two sets of clothes per day, and sunhats with wide brims and neck flaps are worthwhile when playing outdoors. Equally, don't overlook the fact that children's eyes are more vulnerable to glare than yours; get them sunglasses, or goggles with elasticated straps, which stay on better.
Drinking Water - if the tap water isn't safe to drink, you'll need to boil, filter or sterilise your own, or buy bottled water. If you plan to use bottled water to make up formula feeds, aim to get the lowest mineral content you can. Make sure the children don't drink from taps, including when brushing teeth. Keeping a bottle of drinking water by the sink is a helpful reminder.
Diarrhoea - When eating out in countries with poor standards of sanitation and hygiene, always eat at busy places where the turnover of food will be fast, and avoid buffets: they're notorious for harbouring the bugs that cause diarrhoea.
Food Hygiene - When eating in restaurants, if the crockery or cutlery is wet, giving it a dry wipe with a clean tissue will lower any potential dose of bugs. Check that bottles and cans are unopened before handing these to the children (and use straws or clean the can or bottle before they drink), and get them to avoid ice and salads.
Allergies - Carry some non-prescription antihistamine such as Piriton, for symptoms such as sneezing, streaming noses or itchy eyes. For skin allergies, try applying over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream; natural alternatives include drinking honey and apple cider mixed with warm water, a spoonful of honey or, particularly for hayfever, nettle tea.
Insects - you'll need to make sure you take ample supplies of insect repellent, clothes to cover everyone up in the evenings and, if the place you're staying in doesn't have them, bed-nets impregnated with insecticide.
Anti-Malarials - You can get antimalarials in syrup form, though tablets are much more common. As children are usually prescribed smaller amounts of the same antimalarials as adults, this means breaking tablets into pieces, so it's a good idea to buy a pill-cutter; these are widely available and cost next to nothing.
Dehydration - Children are particularly prone to dehydration, mostly because they don't drink unless they feel thirsty. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, you should drink more whenever it's hot so that you produce slightly diluted milk; but if temperatures are particularly high and you don't have enough milk, give them some water to drink, too. Also check all your children's urine from time to time; if it's darker than usual, cloudy or strong-smelling, insist that they drink more.
Constipation - can be caused by dehydration or changes in diet. Give babies water to drink, use a light oil to massage their tummies, and bring their knees up to their chests a few times. You can also gently rub a button of Vaseline over their anus. Give older children water and a few teaspoons of a light vegetable oil to drink, as well as trying the Vaseline and abdominal massage.
Mosquitoes - most hotels do not provide mosquito nets for baby cots so you'll need to take your own. The easiest way to protect babies from insect bites (apart from mosquito nets), is to put them in a light cotton fabric sleeping bag, with a long-sleeved top, and slather a healthy dose of insect repellent on the fabric.
Helpful links if you are feeling unwell after a trip abroad:
www.thehtd.org/Travelclinic.aspx
www.who.int/topics/tropical_diseases/en/
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/zone.aspx?zonename=HealthCheckers_Zone
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