Avoiding sickness on vacation

J

johnvree

Member
Nothing is worse than planning for a trip to the World and then getting sick. During my last trip, my son, who was 4 at the time, came down with a cold on day 3 of a 6 day trip. Kind of a bummer, but not enough to keep him out of the parks. We just slept later and left earlier.

I was just reading a trip report from a family that actually had to leave after the first night because their son got so sick. Very sad, though it sounds like they really enjoyed the first day.

Anyway, it got me wondering: Anyone take any preventative measures to avoid illness, either during or in anticipation of an trip?

If I had my way, I'd pull my kids out of school a month before my trip, wrap them in bubble wrap and feed them Vitamin C intravenously until the day we leave. Thankfully, my wife is more level headed than me.

Still, I'm curious whether anyone does anything different before a big trip or during a trip.
 
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tigsmom

tigsmom

Well-Known Member
When our kids were little they got ear infections at the drop of a hat. We actually started to travel with a prescription for antibiotics, and a decongestant, tylenol, etc.

Thankfull they have outgrown that. I'm usually the one who gets sick (I have a sensitive stomach). Its always my own fault, but sometimes you just can't resist those goodies. :slurp:
I always travel with the usual meds...makes life easier. (and its less expensive too). Sometimes you can make a pre emptive strike & kill the germs before they take hold. :lol:
 
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nicholas

nicholas

New Member
Well, whatever measures I'm taking never work. In 2002, I got sun poisoning after the first day and spent the next three days bed-ridden and in the bathroom much of the time. And then last week, I had no voice and spent the week with larengitus.

However, both times I had a phenomenal time and the illnesses did not dampen my spirits or slow me down.
 
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cherrynegra

cherrynegra

Well-Known Member
And can I just say that being jet lagged doesn't help either?? Oh, boy did I feel crappy when I got to DW from San Francisco. Granted, it didn't help I only got three hours of sleep the nite before my 6:00 a.m. flight. I even semi-fainted outside of Planet Hollywood at PL. I turned to my friend and asked "Are we having an earthquake? Cuz the world is really spinning." The remedy was plenty of fluids, plenty of rest, and a dose of Mission Space and Body Wars back to back, followed by me running for the restroom.:hurl: Felt TONS better. Definitely a time where my :hurl: made me feel much better.
 
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Scooter

Scooter

Well-Known Member
Here's a little advice that may help keep you and your kids from coming down with something while at WDW.

Children like to touch everything. The handrails and doorknobs and turnstyles are loaded with other peoples germs.
I don't even want to THINK about those finger scanners at the Park entrances.
:hurl:

The grab bars on Splash Mountain are really nasty and you can smell the mold growing on them. :lookaroun

Everytime I have to hold onto a rail on the Monorail or a bus I wonder how often they are wiped down if ever.

After getting sick 3 out of my last 4 visits at The Parks, My wife and I started using that Anti-Bacterial hand wash liquid after I touched things that looked like they might get handled alot by small dirty hands.

I am not by any means a Germ freak, but after I started using the Liquid Antibacterial soap, neither my wife or myself have gotten sick since.

You can buy pocket size plastic bottles of the stuff at most stores so it's easy to carry.

It doesn't hurt to try it and it seemed to help us.
 
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tigsmom

tigsmom

Well-Known Member
I'll second that. One of the first things we learned in Nursing school was to always wash our hands...keeps you from spreading those germs around. :wave:
 
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J

johnvree

Member
Original Poster
Originally posted by Scooter
Here's a little advice that may help keep you and your kids from coming down with something while at WDW.

Children like to touch everything. The handrails and doorknobs and turnstyles are loaded with other peoples germs.
I don't even want to THINK about those finger scanners at the Park entrances.
:hurl:

The grab bars on Splash Mountain are really nasty and you can smell the mold growing on them. :lookaroun

Everytime I have to hold onto a rail on the Monorail or a bus I wonder how often they are wiped down if ever.

After getting sick 3 out of my last 4 visits at The Parks, My wife and I started using that Anti-Bacterial hand wash liquid after I touched things that looked like they might get handled alot by small dirty hands.

I am not by any means a Germ freak, but after I started using the Liquid Antibacterial soap, neither my wife or myself have gotten sick since.

You can buy pocket size plastic bottles of the stuff at most stores so it's easy to carry.

It doesn't hurt to try it and it seemed to help us.
Click to expand...
Thank. I suspect my wife will bring plenty of Antibacterial wipes. I will make sure they get used frequently.
 
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TheOneVader

TheOneVader

Well-Known Member
Oe tiem at WDW I got food poisoning, but it didn't dampen my spirits. All you need is to walk around Epcot and the pain leaves your stomach... Until you get back to the room and you're up all night in the bathroom... <.<
 
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surfsupdon

surfsupdon

Well-Known Member
I think that a lot of staying healthy has to do with having avery positive attitude.

Even if you are feeling a little bad, tell yourself that you are fine and go about your normal behavior. You're body will fight it.

If you think you're sick, then you're sick. That's what I always think and I plug through everything I can.

I was feeling ill before a 1994 Easter WDW trip, and I refused to tell my parents b/c I feared the trip may be cancelled, so I suc ked it up, told myself I was fine, and all was well.

And if I did have a fever/sickness, the night before leaving I would fall sleep in bed with tons of warm blankets hoping to sweat the thing out!!
 
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Woody13

Woody13

New Member
Originally posted by surfsupdon
I think that a lot of staying healthy has to do with having avery positive attitude.

Even if you are feeling a little bad, tell yourself that you are fine and go about your normal behavior. You're body will fight it.
Click to expand...

I'll keep that in mind if I ever feel as if I'm having a heart attack.:D
 
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Dizknee_Phreek

Dizknee_Phreek

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by TheOneVader
Oe tiem at WDW I got food poisoning, but it didn't dampen my spirits. All you need is to walk around Epcot and the pain leaves your stomach... Until you get back to the room and you're up all night in the bathroom... <.<
Click to expand...

i got food poisoning on our very last day in Nov. 2002. we were at Epcot that night, and i was having all the symptoms (though, i had never had food poisoning before, so i really had no clue what was wrong with me) my chills were so bad that i had on two shirts, PLUS a sweatshirt w/hoodie, and i had to buy one of those really thick blankets from Mexico. it was my last night, and i wanted to see Illuminations one last time, so i dealt with the discomfort. at the show, we were walking back to the hotel (we were staying at Beach Club) and, of course, :hurl: . i did feel better though as we walked the rest of the way around WS. but, like you said, i started feeling bad after we got to the hotel.

but yeah...my advice to staying well while at WDW...avoid chicken as much as possible. that's what did me in.
other than that, i agree with the others who said wash your hands often, and take some anti-bacterial stuff...that should increase your chances of staying well. :)
 
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barnum42

barnum42

New Member
On my last trip I had a stinker of a cold for the first week – it showed itself the morning I headed for the airport. I just stocked up on some medicine at the airport pharmacy and let the pixie dust keep it in check at the parks. I refused to let it get in the way and it did not.

Something else to think about with regards to disinfecting everything in your immediate vicinity – I have read in more than one place that it seems kids are these days more prone to suffering from bugs because of the sterile home environment they are being brought up in. It seems that we need exposure to these bugs for our body’s immune system to get to grips in dealing with them. So it can be argued that bringing up someone in a totally sterile environment may not be the best way forward.
 
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SewIn2Disney

SewIn2Disney

Well-Known Member
My mother always makes us take Echinacea before we leave. Its a natural herb/vitamin that boosts your immune system. You should take it for only 10 days at a time, so we start taking it 10 days before we leave, and so far none of us have gotten sick.

I'm sure you can find Echinacea at your local vitamin/natural foods store and they can explain it a little bit better.

And I agree with Surfsupdon (sp?) You think yourself well. I tell my friends that all the time, and it always works.

Also, keep hydrated and get lots of sleep, being unhydrated and tired makes it easier for bacteria and virsus to enter your body. So get your 8 hours of sleep!

Have a great trip and stay well.
 
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SlideOperatorCP

SlideOperatorCP

New Member
Last time we went my boyfriend and I spent a whole day in bed! We couldn't move at all and there was no amount of wishful thinking that could even get us to roll over, nevermind walk through the park!
My boyfriend get sick alot but we started taking these things called "EMERGEN-C" We found them at Trader Joe's but I am sure any health food store would carry them... it is just a packet of powder that you mix with water and drink... it fizzes a little but tastes AWEFUL! hahahahah I bought some for my grandpa and he mixed the tangerine flavor with Orange juice and he takes them everyday and has had a healthy winter! It has about 1000% of your daily vitamin C and there are different types that have more then that.... I take the Glycosamine and Chondroitin for my joints (I am a waitress so I am always on my feet) But they have different types! I haven't tried it for my trip yet but I will let you know in 4 weeks:sohappy: !!!
 
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DisneyPhD

DisneyPhD

Well-Known Member
Zicam!!!!!!!!!!! Hubby and I both use it before getting on the air plane and if we feel a cold coming on. Clean hands is a most, along with purel and vitimans. We also make sure we take enough medications for most comon things fore each person.

We tend to take DD to the Doc before flying to make sure her ears are healthy, especially in the winter. We play the paronoid card, but it seems to work, past 2 trips she hasn't gotten sick.

Our dd 1st 2 trips (age 9 months old and 23 months old) we ended up at centra care for an allergic reaction to the antibiotic and then an ear infection. We also always travel with a thermonitor.


Good luck.
 
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