What To Do If Your Child Gets Sick Or Injured While On Vacation

Despite how much you prep and plan for a vacation, there’s always a chance that things won’t end up going the way you’d hoped for. While most of these things can be fixed or adjusted, having someone in your group get sick or injured can put a much bigger damper on your plans. Especially if the illness or harm comes to your child, you might not know what to do to get the help you need or continue on with your trip. So to help you deal with this sad and unexpected event, whether it’s an injury from a car accident or someone getting the flu, here are three things you should do if your child gets sick or injured while you’re on vacation.

Plan Ahead

While packing for a trip can be hard, especially if you’ll be flying and have limited space for all your belongings, it’s important that you plan ahead as much as you can for some kind of sickness or injury befalling your child. To effectively do this, Andrea Williams, a contributor to DailyParent.com, advises that you research the area you’ll be traveling to for their healthcare options. Try to learn where a reputable hospital is near where you’ll be staying and if there’s a pharmacy where you could pick up any necessities. Also, bring some medicines with you that you think you might need, like fever reducers or things to help an upset stomach.

Don’t Forget Your Insurance Cards

If your child does end up needing to seek medical attention for their illness or injury, you’re going to want to bring your insurance card along with you to whatever clinic you go to. According to Sandra Temko, a contributor to Consumer Reports, you should have everyone’s insurance or medical ID cards with you at all times during your travels, as you never know when something could happen. This will make the whole administrative part of seeking medical care for your child much simpler to manage, both while you’re traveling and when you get back home.

Give A Call To Your Doctor Back Home

Unless your child is severely sick or injured and needs immediate medical attention, Lisa Milbrand, a contributor to Parents.com, shares that you might want to call your child’s primary care physician back home before you see someone else. In many offices, doctors are available all day long to take calls and provide medical advice, which is great for you while you’re traveling. In some instances, the doctor may even be able to call in a prescription for you at the place you’re visiting. So if you have the chance, try to exhaust this option first.

If you have a child that gets sick or hurt when you’re traveling, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know what to do in this scary situation.