Traveling with Kids

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Travelling with kids is a great adventure that offers opportunities for fun and to possibility to broaden ones cultural outlook. But travel is not just fun, some risks related to the travel exist and the whole family should be prepared to prevent them or to have early treatment. Preparing a trip with kids involves considering several aspects, such as age, underlying diseases and destination.

The main aspects we are going to review are: safety travel (motor vehicles, safety water and food, air travel, sun protection, motion sickness, high altitude, animal bites), immunization, prevention of arthropods borne diseases and diarrhea. Air transportation can produce boredom and ear pain. No pharmaceutical interventions have been proved to be good at preventing painful earache. Sedation is controversial but if it is required, diphenhydramine is considered a safe drug.

Children should have their immunization schedule updated at the time of the trip. Insect borne disease can be prevented by using DEET repellents. DEET concentration 30-35% is safe for use in children. It should not be applied around the eyes, mouth or on the hands and forearms of young children. Malaria chemoprophylaxis can be used in children and are licensed for infants.

Mefloquine, chloroquine and malarone are the alternatives for children under 9 years old.

Doxycicline can be used after that age. Maternal chemoprophylaxis is not enough for breastfed infants. Difficulties for children using chemoprophylaxis include bad taste, luck in pediatric preparations and toxicity risks. Diarrhea prevention includes safety in water and food consumption. Therapy should center on oral hydration. Self-treatment of travelers’ diarrhea with antibiotics should be considered, but antimotility agents should be avoided. Travel offers good experiences for children and their families. Pre-travel evaluation and protective interventions can reduce the health risks of travel.