Precautions for traveling abroad with children
Around 13 million Spaniards travel abroad each year, of which one million do so in tropical areas: Central America-Caribbean and South, Africa (sub-Saharan Africa), Asia and the Pacific. The lack of prevention causes each year that many must be admitted and some die.
To avoid these situations, specialists recommend going to an International Vaccination Center and Traveler's Advice to learn about how to make healthy tourism.
"The Spanish traveler has a low perception of the risk of contracting tropical diseases and prevents little the same", affirm Dr. Rogelio López-Vélez, Head of the Unit of Tropical Medicine and Clinical Microbiology, of the Ramón y Cajal Hospital of Madrid; and, Dr. José María Bayas, Senior Consultant of the International Vaccination Center of the Hospital Clínic, in Barcelona. 55% of people traveling to risk destinations do not receive any vaccine and 16% doubt its effectiveness.
Where to learn to take precautions before traveling abroad
Some vaccines need reminder doses upon return and carry the vaccination certificate during the trip. We must go to a specialist, to be important not only the measures that are needed in each country, but also the particularities of each person. This visit must be made four weeks before the time of departure. You can also visit the website Viajarsano.com.
In addition to the importance of these measures to avoid contracting the disease, it is necessary to know how it is detected and what its symptoms are to immediately go to the doctor if, upon return from the trip, its existence is suspected.
Specific measures for children before traveling abroad
1. Risk of dehydration. Children are especially sensitive to the sun and dehydrate more easily than adults if they drink a little fluid or lose fluids due to diarrhea. Dehydration in a few hours can knock down a child.
2. Pressure changes. If we travel with babies by plane we should know that changes in pressure can cause discomfort, so they are contraindicated for newborns, under 7 days. In addition, we should not feed children as often as at home, because there is an abdominal distention by expansion of intestinal gas.
Babies and young children are more sensitive to sudden changes in altitude, as well as more susceptible to many infectious diseases.
3. Variations of temperature. Therefore, when organizing a trip we have to think specifically about them: choose the luggage properly, bring a doll or game that the child knows and adapt the clothes for the trip, since children do not regulate the temperature changes as adults. In many exotic countries, large temperature variations between day and night are very frequent, a circumstance that also occurs when entering or leaving air-conditioned premises. In general, avoid exposing children to extreme or extenuating circumstances.
4. Vaccines. Regarding vaccines, it is important that children traveling abroad have completed the primary vaccination of the Infant Vaccination Program, since otherwise they will be exposed to the risk of preventable diseases with them.
Some vaccines can be administered in the first days of life (BCG, oral polio vaccine, hepatitis A and B), but others (diphtheria / tetanus / whooping cough, diphtheria / tetanus, inactivated polio vaccine, Haemophilus influenzae type B) ) should not be given before 6 weeks of age, yellow fever vaccine not before 6 months of age and others do not produce adequate protection until after the first years of age (typhoid fever, cholera, Japanese encephalitis).
The child's adequate immunization schedule for an international trip must be made sufficiently in advance, between 4 and 6 weeks before the trip.
Most frequent diseases of trips abroad
- Malaria. It is one of the most contagious diseases in tropical countries. In young children it constitutes a medical emergency, as it can be rapidly fatal. The initial symptoms are nonspecific, being able to simulate other diseases and in a few hours after its appearance, complications that put your life in danger arise.
The most advisable thing is that parents do not take their babies, or small children, to areas with transmission of malaria falciparum, resistant to chloroquine. If it is essential to travel, it is essential to protect infants and children against mosquito bites and administer adequate antimalarial prophylaxis.
Babies should be under insecticide-treated mosquito nets to avoid bug bites, whenever possible between dusk and dawn, strictly following the manufacturer's instructions on the use of insect repellents, without exceeding the recommended doses. The appropriate medications, as well as the doses of them, are of special importance in children, so you should consult Specialized Units in Traveler Medicine.
In the case of nursing babies, remember that some of the medications taken by the mother can pass through breast milk to the child, in amounts small enough not to protect the child but to cause side effects.
When returning, a doctor should be consulted immediately, if the child has a fever. It is always necessary to think about the possibility of malaria, being fundamental the diagnosis of laboratory. In infants, even if they get sick without a fever, this disease should be suspected.
In case of accidental ingestion of any plant or vegetable, it is useful to collect a sample of the plant to know what it is if necessary.
- Altitude sickness. It is a disease caused at altitudes of 1,500-3,000m, by decreasing tolerance to exercise by increasing ventilation. From this height hypoxia (lack of oxygen) occurs. The first symptoms usually appear between 4 and 8 hours after having started a climb, above 3,000 meters, or have come directly to areas located more than 2,500 meters. Nausea, anorexia, asthenia, weakness, irritability, insomnia and diarrhea appear along with a throbbing headache.
If dyspnea (respiratory distress), apathy, vomiting, dizziness or faltering gait are added to this symptomatology, staying at this altitude or continuing to ascend is a serious risk and the disease can be fatal if it develops cerebral or pulmonary edema due to height. If symptoms of altitude sickness appear, the ascent must be interrupted, and the altitude must drop to 1,200 meters. The administration of oxygen and other medications helps fight this disease, once the symptoms have appeared.
- Traveler's diarrhea also called "tourist diarrhea", is the most frequent health problem. About 40% of travelers experience it during, or shortly after, their trip to the tropics. Most times traveler's diarrhea is a self-limited problem, but 30-40% of travelers must stay in bed for one or two days and modify travel plans. A 1% must be admitted to a hospital, and 15% maintain diarrheal episodes after the trip.
It usually lasts between 3 and 7 days. The basic measure is the replacement of liquids and an appropriate diet: soups or broths of rice / carrots, boiled potatoes, white fish or chicken meat cooked or grilled, toasted white bread, grated or roasted apple, bioactive skimmed yogurt.
Tips for before and after traveling abroad with children
1. Consult the specialist 4 weeks before the trip.
2. Learn about health requirements to enter the country.
3. Vaccinate adequately.
4. Have medications and documents by hand.
5. Have travel insurance.
6. Extreme hygiene measures with food and drinks.
7. Insects They are transmitters of many diseases. It is a priority to adopt the necessary measures to avoid their bites.
8. If you have any symptoms when you return Go to the doctor and inform him of the trip.
Vicen Ramón
Advisors:Dr. Rogelio López-Vélez, Head of the Unit of Tropical Medicine and Clinical Microbiology, of the Ramón y Cajal Hospital of Madrid; and the Dr. José María Bayas, Senior Consultant of the International Vaccination Center of the Hospital Clínic, Barcelona.
