Travelling With Children Who've Medical Conditions

Travelling is something that everyone should be able to enjoy from time to time and a medical condition shouldn’t be a stopping factor in this. For those parents who have children with medical conditions, the thought of travelling might be a worrying and complicated one, but with the help of some simple planning and preparation, going away doesn’t have to be a struggle.

In this guide, we take a look at some of the simple ways you can make travelling with a child with medical conditions a little simpler.

Tips for travelling with children with medical conditions:

• Find out the location of the nearest hospitals and pharmacies
• Try and stick to a routine
• Make sure you have appropriate medical insurance
• Make sure you have all the appropriate documentation with you
• Make sure you book appropriate accommodation

Find out the location of the nearest hospitals and pharmacies

If you’re travelling to a county or location, you have never visited before, then scouting out the area prior is essential. You will want to know where the nearest hospitals, medical centres and pharmacies are in case of emergencies and the best way for you to get there quickly and as stress-free as possible.

If you’re struggling to find the information that you need, then contact the hotel you are staying at prior to your visit and ask them for a list of the nearby facilities and the correct contact numbers for them, the chances are they will know the area pretty well.

Try and stick to a routine

Children love routine, and children with medical conditions will probably be used to some sort of routine, whether that is taking their tablets at the same time every day or going to bed at the same time every evening. Factor this into your plans as long days and late evenings might affect the way they feel and will hinder them from enjoying the holiday as much as you might want them to.

It is also worth considering the time difference and how this can affect when they might need to take medication. If the time difference is 3 hours or more, you will need to make sure you give them their medication at the correct UK time, not the time of the country you are in.

Make sure you have appropriate medical insurance

One, if not the most important thing to consider is that you have the correct medical insurance for yourself and your children. For those travelling with medical conditions insurance is essential and will cover you should you need treatment or any urgent medical care whilst you are away.

Here at Medical Travel Compared, we have a range of medical insurance policies for all types of medical conditions, so if you’re looking for the best travel insurance for medical conditions, then make sure you get a quote today.

Make sure you have all the appropriate documentation with you

It is really important to make sure you have all the appropriate documentation with you when travelling abroad with a medical condition. There are quite a few different documentation types that you may need whilst away, the first of these being a document that explains what medication you may be carrying on you and why you or your child need it, the volume, and the strength of the medication.

It can often be hard to find medication should you need it in an emergency in a foreign country, so making sure you have a large supply is always a smart move. The second documentation you might need to consider is proof of any vaccinations, whether this is a COVID-19 vaccine or proof of any other jabs that may be required in certain countries.

If you think there may even be a slim chance that they’ll need medical attention when away, then consider having a document written up by your doctor explaining your child’s condition and get it translated to the local language before you leave. If there is a language barrier, you don’t want to be translating this when you are in a hurry for medical help.

Make sure you book appropriate accommodation

It may sound like an obvious point, but make sure you consider your accommodation before booking. You don’t want to be miles away from any facilities should you need them, you also may want to consider booking a room on the ground floor or request an accessible room for those whose children have mobility issues due to their condition.

If your child struggles with stairs, this is something you want to avoid, so make sure there is a lift for you to use easily and if you’re travelling somewhere hot, maybe take a look to see if there is a child-friendly pool or play area to keep them occupied should you need it.

If you’re planning to go away with your children this summer and they have a medical condition, hopefully this guide will have given you a little information on some of the steps you should take prior to travelling to ensure your trip is as hassle-free for you and your child as possible.

For more tips, guides, and advice, make sure to visit our blog.