SUITCASE: BIBIGON/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS;
MEDICINE: IMAGEPIXEL/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
HEALTHY FAMILY
When you’re on the go, it can be
easy to let nutritional standards
slide in favor of quick and easy
foods, but Plotnick warns par-
ents to make sure they and their
children are getting at least one
to two meals per day that are
nutritious and high in fi ber.

Parents should also make sure
everyone in the family is staying
hydrated. Being dehydrated can
cause children to feel irritable, in
addition to being a potentially
serious health concern, accord-
ing to hopkinsmedicine.org.

One trick to staying hydrated
is to let everyone pick out
their own refi llable water
bottle before the trip and remind
everyone to fi ll theirs up before
leaving the house or hotel in the
morning. (This works best if the
parents are doing it, too!)
Food allergies add an addi-
tional layer of risk for many
families. Allergens can be more
challenging to avoid if there is
a language barrier. Some aller-
gens are more prevalent in
diff erent parts of the world, and
there is always a risk involved
when trying foods you’ve never
had before. Be prepared by
having any allergy medication
your family uses with you and
fi nding out ahead of time where
the nearest emergency care is.

Restaurants in some states are
allowed to keep epinephrine on
site for use in emergencies.

Your Travel Health Kit
Before you go, be sure to
check local laws for the state
or country you are visiting to
make sure any prescription
medications you need to bring
aren’t restricted or illegal. Roy
also recommends bringing
enough of your prescriptions
to account for any travel delays.

All prescriptions should be
clearly labeled and stored
in childproof containers for
safety. This also applies to eyeglasses
and contacts. Every member of
the family using contact lenses
or prescription glasses should
have a spare pair in case some-
thing happens to the pair they’re
using while away.

Other things to pack include
general pain relievers like
acetaminophen, ibuprofen or
aspirin; Band-Aids; sunscreen;
sunburn relief; tweezers; ant-
acids; medication for motion
sickness and insect repellant.

Have a safe trip! 1
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