Health and safety tips for family holidays

Family holidays are always super experiences, but whether you are planning a relaxing beach holiday, a tour of a historic city or an adventure through natural landscapes there are always a number of health and safety concerns that you need to keep in mind to make sure everyone has an enjoyable time.

If your children are already accident-prone at home, can you imagine what they will be like in a new place that they are excited to discover? In an environment, they have never seen (and you probably haven’t either) it will be hard for you to predict what can go wrong and how you can prevent it from happening. Luckily though, we’ve managed to put together a list for you of the main health and safety concerns to keep in mind while travelling to any international destination.

We’ve divided these up into two lists: 'health issues' and 'safety concerns'. Please do keep in mind however that if you’re travelling to a particularly exotic country that you know very little about, it is always best to consult an official tourism website for more detailed tips.

Health tips to make sure your children are protected on your next family holiday:

Consider getting a regular check-up just before travelling to ensure everything is alright prior to departure. Let your doctor know when and where you are travelling to and s/he will be able to better advise you on vaccinations or medication to take prior to/during your stay.

Besides specific medication that may be needed when travelling to selected countries, it is always a great idea to pack a basic travel health kit that includes pain and/or fever medication, medication for upset stomachs or diarrhoea, cough drops, antihistamine, anti-motion sickness medication and any other medication you may take on a regular basis at home.

Make sure to wash hands regularly to avoid spreading diseases and infections, particularly in developing countries.

Make sure to ask at your hotel if tap water is potable. If not (or if you and/or your partner and kids have sensitive stomachs) always buy bottled water.

Safety concerns to keep in mind:

Most hotel swimming pools do not have lifeguards, so make sure to always keep an eye out for your children while they are playing in or around the pool area.

Be aware of your hotel room balcony when children are in the area. Accidents in balconies tend to happen especially during the first few days of your holiday while you are still getting accustomed to your surroundings so please be mindful.

Make sure to always have personal belongings close to your body in a closed bag. Even if you are travelling to a city that is safe, pick-pocketing rates tend to be higher in tourist areas so any precautions are welcome.

Pay special attention when using electrical appliances and pay close attention to children when they are around them. If you are using electrical appliances that you have brought with you from the UK, make sure to use an adaptor suitable to the local voltage usage.

Always take note of the number for local emergency services. In Europe, the number is always 112 and calls are free from fixed or mobile phones.

A holiday should be pleasant, enjoyable and stress-free. So just make sure to avoid any major accident by observing some of these tips we’ve outlined above.