How to avoid getting sick on a family holiday

Holiday sickness strikes when you least expect it, from food poisoning to E.coli to nasty vomiting bugs - and it can happen easily when you are in a foreign country. Avoiding holiday illness can be something of a lottery, however how informed you are and the precautions you take and make all the difference between and dream holiday and a holiday of nightmares.

It’s perhaps not new information that a ruined holiday at the fault of a package holiday provider can lead to holiday sickness compensation - but that does not compensate for having a family vacation destroyed.

Avoiding holiday sickness is straightforward:

Know what the threats are

Food poisoning is the major cause of holiday sickness and the thing tour operators fear the most. Of course, keeping a firm eye on what we eat and drink is the best way of avoiding a stomach upset, but in general, you should:

Use bottled water

Even for cleaning your teeth. The change in foreign water could be enough to keep you in the bathroom all week, and you’ll miss out on all the sunshine.

Be mindful of ice in your drinks

It doesn’t take an expert to work out that the ice most probably came from the local water, the same stuff that could make you ill from brushing your teeth.

Be extremely careful with seafood

The kings of food poisoning come from the ocean. In a warm climate where food is mass-produced for a large number of tourists, it is a common danger zone.

Trust your instincts

If a restaurant doesn’t look well kept or clean, don’t take any chances. Many eateries that are tourist-based are perfectly fine, but keep your wits about you.

Read reviews

Listen to fellow holidaymakers and their stories. Word of mouth is the best honest advertising there is, most of the time.

Holiday sickness is not all about food poisoning

• Perhaps a less obvious danger when on a family holiday - there are often a variety of small insects and mosquitoes, not to mention ticks, which like to set up home under your skin.
• It’s crucial to have your injections before you take off, especially to the more exotic locations which post a danger of yellow fever of malaria.
• It’s important to turn off room lights at night, as insects are attracted to light, and keep an eye on your family members’ skin and clothing for signs of insects.
• Even the sun can make you sick. The one thing many of us go on holiday for - but the sun can actually turn out to be your enemy unless you cover up and wear the right factor sunscreen. Wearing a hat can help prevent sunstroke, as sun creams and clothing can prevent burning.