| Health | |||
| Immunisations Get advice from the specific area that you are going to if you can. Tropical ‘experts’ in your own home country, have, in our experience, always been extra-conservative and suggest such a plethora of injections and tablets that you would be bankrupted before you even buy your air tickets! However you must have peace of mind and we have always had travel insurance. We only had to use it once for an overnight hospital stay for one of the children, and it was worth every cent! We were in Bangkok and used a private hospital and were very impressed with the doctors and service. Cholera immunisation is no longer recommended. If you need typhoid, ask about the oral vaccine. However our ‘pill-hater’ refused to take his tablet and was better off with the injection. Take with you a photocopy of each child’s immunization records. For more information try … Malaria can be a problem in rural areas. There is some doubt as to the efficacy of various preventatives and you need to ask a doctor what is right for the area you are going to. Cover up, especially in the evenings. Take plenty of mosquito repellent. Use nets and/or coils if they are available. Diarrhoea - Boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it.We have had minimal problems with diarrhoea – we always drink bottled water when we’re travelling and avoid icecubes. Even cleaning teeth with bottled water can help. Try to eat as much freshly cooked food as you can – the hotter the better. Avoid seafood and uncooked food, cold meats and already peeled fruit and vegetables. First Aid Kits These vary considerably. Take the things that you need as a family. I usually include pain killers, worm tablets, oral rehydration tablets, whatever you usually use for dealing with colds, cuts, bruises and stings. Ask your doctor about taking a course of broad antibiotics with you – I have only ever found doctors helpful when it comes to travelling health precautions. Our doctor in Brunei suggests taking several needles in case you need injections and are concerned about HIV risk. More helpful hints can be found at Lonely Planet health's site. |