Stay healthy on holiday
Dodgy food, undercooked barbecues, concrete steps where you least expect them. Read our reminders and maybe they'll help you avoid the common holiday hazards. There's a full checklist for your first aid kit too.
Most Brits miss at least one day out of seven on holiday through sunstroke, upset tummy or hangover. The third, while avoidable, is understandable. There's no longer any excuse for the first, and the second is somewhere in between.
Protecting children from the sun's rays is quite a battle when they are at the squirming stage. Those over the age of five, but under six (a short window of opportunity here) respond quite well to the 'battle paint' idea – let them see their daubed faces in a car mirror and rub it in themselves when they are ready. After that, it's just one more thing to nag them about. Letting them choose a 'cool' brand in their own bottle would probably help.
Dodgy food on holiday is a major factor that sends families rushing to the tick-box marked 'self-catering' on the brochure. The trouble is that you end up eating pizza most nights when you realise you can't actually be bothered to cook. Wherever you eat, you need to check that food has been freshly cooked. Small restaurants that clearly haven't yet caught your fish, let alone cooked it, score highly. When ordering seafood, ask if it is fresh and look the waiter hard in the eye. Large buffet operations – on the increase everywhere – need to win your confidence with a lack of burnt rings round the edges of the trays (indicating reheating). Look at the hygiene. In the big hotels, you'll see staff wearing hairnets and aprons, but do they look as though they would know how to scrub carrots? Peek through the kitchen doors. Does the kitchen look clean? It should look spotless and organised – most tour companies have high standards and check frequently.
Choose food that won't object to long stewing, and you won't be disappointed by the overcooked taste. Many buffets have chefs on hand to cook eggs and steaks individually on the spot. The food should be piping hot when you get it, not tepid. In a large hotel, the most likely way to pick up a tummy bug is from undercooked meat. If you're not happy – the children in particular should eat nothing that's remotely pink – then take it back. Also watch out for juices, smoothies and milkshakes being made on dirty, sticky equipment – especially if it's out in the sun.
When travelling independently or long haul, take advice from your guidebook. Often ice-cream stalls, juice bars and sweet snacks should be avoided. Hot snacks from pavement stalls are often vegetarian and freshly cooked and so are cheap, quick and ideal – if the children can handle the chilli. Big hotels can be a façade of luxury that hides a sub-standard kitchen. Smaller restaurants are often safer. And try to check that your plates and glasses are clean-looking and dry. Often very dirty water and washcloths are used to clean plates, but if they are dry, the germs will have mostly gone.
A forthcoming holiday is the perfect time to check your first aid kit, or start one. Buy a complete kit and add to it, or make your own. Make sure the box is toddler-proof: it is not a toy. You will probably need:
- cotton wool squares (wrapped in clingfilm)
- antiseptic such as TCP for dabbing cuts, or antiseptic wipes
- assorted fabric plasters
- non-stick sterile dressings
- surgical tape or 'butterfly sutures' for cuts
- safety pins
- aneedle for splinters (sterilise with the TCP)
- antiseptic cream for grazes
- antihistamine for bites and stings
- Arnica cream for bumps and bruises
- painkillers (for adults)
- Paracetamol suspension sachets for children.
When you go on holiday, add the following items if they are not already there:
- travel sickness tablets
- medicine spoon
- diarrhoea treatment
- Hydrocortisone cream (1%)
- sunscreen
- insect repellent
- sachets of rehydration compound
- any medicines you usually take
Don't forget, if you are taking prescription medicines with you, leave them in their original containers to so they can be identified when abroad. Also, take a list of their scientific names as well as their brand names in case you lose them or require further supplies due to unforeseen circumstances.
In the case of antihistamine, it is vital to take with you a brand you have already used on your children, to ensure they are not going to react adversely. Once you have a reliable brand, it will help you out to combat bites from bedbugs, mozzies and even aggressive jellyfish.
If you are going to remoter parts of the world, then you might like to consider taking an emergency medical kit containing a selection of sterilised and sealed equipment such as syringes and needles. They can be handed to a doctor or nurse in places where the safety of such items may be open to doubt.
Not bought your insurance? This should be number one on your list!
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