After all the planning and excitement that goes into planning a family vacation the last thing you want is a sick child.  Booking flights, reserving rooms and making a packing list are important when planning a trip.  But making sure your family is healthy for travel (and stays healthy) is just as important, if not more.  These are my go to tricks for keeping my own family healthy for travel.

 

 

#1 ~ Keep Sinuses Clear

A stuffy head when flying is no fun for anyone.  At the first sign of a stuffy nose I use saline spray on my kids noses.  Most of the time this does the trick.  My son gets double the congestion then the rest of us, so he often gets the neti pot. At 10-years-old he handles it like a champ.  He has felt the results of clearing up overnight and deems it’s worth the discomfort.  I also give a plain form of Guaifenesin, (Mucinex), or “icky medicine” named by their Auntie to thin out mucus and present infection. Be sure not to get anything mixed in.  No cough suppressant or other extras.  Finally, if blockage is in the ears, we make a trip to the chiropractor.  An adjustment will surely loosen pressure, no antibiotics needed!

 

#2 ~ Sleep

It sounds like a no-brainer, but we often skimp on sleep before a big trip.  Holidays, end of school parties, late night packing, all contribute to late bed times.  This is a huge mistake because a lack of sleep lowers immunity.  Sleep deprivation literally suppresses immune system function.  So, for the sake of your vacation, leave the party early, skip the late movie, and save packing for when the kids are in bed.  I learned so much from Marc Weissbluth’s book, “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.”  Did you know school aged children need 9 to 12 hours of sleep?  Get those kids a great night’s sleep!

When we board a plane, I pull out the sanitizing wipes and wipe EVERYTHING. Click To Tweet

#3 ~ Water

 

It can be hard to get kids drink water.  Heck, it’s hard for me to remember to drink water.  But when we are getting ready to travel I’m purposeful about water drinking.  I literally stand right next to my kids in the kitchen until they finish a glass of water several times a day.  I drink one too! Drinking water gets rid of toxins and waste which gives your immune system a lift.  Skip the juice and soda, pound the water.  You won’t regret it.  Did you know dehydration can play a part in constipation? Yup! A bonus of staying hydrated is happy bowels.  Just drink extra water!

 

 

 

#4 ~ Probiotics

We all take a good probiotic, especially when we are getting ready to travel.  I also bring probiotics for the trip.  This is especially important for foreign travel when you may be eating foods your body is not used to.  You can also eat probiotic rich foods like yogurt, kefir, pickles, sauerkraut, olives, and kombucha.  (My kids are not lining up for kombucha, but yogurt, pickles and olives are doable.

 

#5 ~ Wipes

When we board a plane, I pull out the sanitizing
wipes and wipe EVERYTHING.  I wipe the arm rests, the seatbelt, the tray table, the overhead buttons, anything we might touch.  I have never seen anyone else do this, and often times people stare thinkingI’m a freak.  Don’t care.  The last thing I need is my kid to pick up strep on the way to my Caribbean family vacation.  Actually, one time a flight attendant was standing in the row behind me.  She leaned over and said, “That is the smartest thing! Those trays are nasty and are never cleaned properly.”  She empowered me to keep doing what I’m doing.

 

 

Often people ask how we travel all over the world with our kids.  It’s so much work they say.  I’ll tell you, healthy kids make a huge difference.  They’re happy, full of energy, clear minded, and ready for any adventure thrown our way!

 

 

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