A vacation at sea offers families the best of all worlds: seeing foreign countries without the hassle of constant packing; supervised age-appropriate activities, lots of other children and, should you need it, “in-house” medical facilities.
Here’s what you have to know:
1. Bring your children’s medications:
A leading reason for passengers visiting ships’ infirmaries is to obtain medications […]

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Tags: Cruise ships, Infants, Intestinal illnesses, Medical kit, Medications, Seasickness, Sun exposure, Third world, Toddlers, Tropics, Vaccine

When you travel, drinking lots of water helps you stay fit - as long as the water is fit to drink. Being well hydrated helps counteract some of the vagaries of travel: fatigue and jet lag, altitude, and hot and cold environments, to mention a few. Minimal dehydration occurs even before you feel thirsty, subtly […]

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Tags: Airplane, Altitude, Cruise ships, Dehydration, Diabetes, Fatigue, Heart problems, Immune problems, Intestinal illnesses, Jet lag, Kidney problems, Pregnant, Third world

On Caribbean islands (Bermuda and the Bahamas included), travel-related illnesses are relatively minor, generally predictable, and largely preventable, making the islands comfortable places for family vacations. The exception to this is Hispaniola, where the Dominican Republic and Haiti are (see below).

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Tags: Dengue fever, Sun exposure, Third world

1. Wash your hands frequently and before you eat.
While this is hardly breaking news, compliance remains poor. Proper hand hygiene (it’s no longer called hand washing) interrupts transmission of most diarrhea-causing micro-organisms. Such organisms abound in areas of poor sanitation. You acquire organisms via your hands, by touching doorknobs and money, and by shaking people’s […]

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Tags: Diarrhea, Intestinal illnesses, Respiratory infections, Third world, Tropics

Savvy parents can manage most cases of intestinal diseases that occur away from home and recognize the rare case needing immediate medical attention.
Here’s how to be a savvy parent:
1. Do not treat intestinal illnesses with only clear or sugary liquids.
Vomiting and diarrhea eliminates vital nutrients from the body, mainly sodium and chloride (salt). Water, […]

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Tags: Dehydration, Diarrhea, Intestinal illnesses, Third world