Tips for travelling with kids in the Third World - Be wary of plants, animals and toxins

Dec. 3, 2008 - PRLog -- Dr. Andrea Summer, member of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and associate professor of pediatrics at Medical University of South Carolina, offers these tips to keep children safe when traveling abroad:

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-Animals: Very often children are drawn to animals. However, animals in developing countries are usually not required to have vaccines like they are in the United States and can carry a variety of transmittable diseases, including rabies.

-Mosquitoes: Insects such as mosquitoes are cause for concern in tropical areas because of the many diseases they can spread to humans, including Dengue fever and malaria, which are potentially fatal. There are many physical barriers parents can use to protect children, which include long pants and long-sleeve shirts, bed nets and DEET-based repellents.

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-Toxins: Parents should research if there will be toxins in developing countries that may not be considered toxins in the United States. Such toxins may include plants or flowers that contain poisons, insecticides, lead-based paints or rodent bait.

-Vaccines: Children should be up-to-date on all routine vaccines, including an annual flu shot before international travel. Destination-specific vaccines may also be recommended.

-Water safety: Parents need to provide children with the proper safety devices for water activities, such as life preservers. Underdeveloped and rural areas may not have these devices available.

-Motor vehicle safety: Because motor vehicle accidents are the top cause of child mortality during travel, parents are advised to bring a car seat or booster seat with them, because these may not always be available in developing countries.

Parents should also consider traveling during the day, as many roads may be dangerous to travel at night.

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"Prevention doesn't end when travelers return home. There are various post-travel symptoms, such as fever, persistent or bloody diarrhea and respiratory infections that parents should watch for in children, as they can be indicators of a more serious problem and require immediate medical attention," Summer says.

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