Children can love travelling just as much as you. You might be going to upcountry to visit their grandparents or crossing seas for a vacation. Although we do not wish for them to get sick during your trip, it is always advisable to be equipped if something were to go wrong. We do not advise you to not take your child to the hospital, but there are some events where home treatment can work. In case it does not, make sure to take your child to hospital or call their paediatrician for expert medical advice. Here are some medications to always have when travelling with your children.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics treat against any cases of flu and illnesses caused by bacteria. For example, if your child eats something and gets food poisoning, antibiotics like Amoxil do a great job at managing the symptoms. Most bacterial illnesses are caused by consumed foods and drinks, therefore, keeping antibiotics close can prevent the illness from getting out of hand. If symptoms persist, however, make sure to get a medical doctor’s advice.
Antihistamines
Allergy medication come in handy especially when you are travelling to an area with different climate and general environment. You child could get an allergic reaction to cold or dust and thus start sneezing or get an itchy throat. They can also get affected by pollen in the air or have a bad rash from the grass. Antihistamines like Celestamine and Piriton help bring down the itchiness and control the sneezes.
Analgesics
These are simply painkillers. Not only will they come in handy for your child but for you too. Changes in temperature, sunlight intensity and fatigue are just some examples of situations that can give your body aches. Children might also hurt themselves when playing and may need an analgesic to bring down the pain in the affected area. Common examples include Ibrupofen, Panadol and MaraMoja.
Anti-inflammatories
Aside from pain, your child can experience swelling in a hurt area. Sprained joints get inflamed making it uncomfortable to normally move the affected limb. Anti-inflammatory medicine will help bring down the swelling and sometimes ease the pain of the hurt section. Anti-inflammatory medicine can be in the form of balms, creams or tablets. Good examples are Deep Heat, Rob and Olfen.
Anti-fever
In Kenya, the most common anti-fever medicine is Calpol. Children can easily get fevers when travelling. They can be a result of fatigue, climate change, or as a sign of an upcoming illness such as flu. Fever reducing medicine should not, however, be used for treatment but management until further medical advice is rendered.