child sick...leave in 3 days...now what??!!

[rsjj]

does anyone know? what does dcl do, if your child is sick? are we not allowed to go? will he be denied boarding? i'm hoping he'd get over it, SOON!!!!!! he came down w/a fever...hoping it would just go away w/lots of rest for the next 2 days...has this happened to anyone? any advice/input would be greatly appreciated! thank you!

 

[the kabuki]

Not sure about if he'll be denied boarding, perhaps others have the answer.

I would visit the ped if you haven't already. Even if they don't feel he needs antibiotics right now, explain that you'll be on vacation and ask if they can at least give a script for one, so at least you'll have it in case it gets worse.

Lots of rest, orange juice , chicken broth, and TLC!

Some pixie dust sent your way, hope he feels better soon!

 

[rsjj]

Not sure about if he'll be denied boarding, perhaps others have the answer.

I would visit the ped if you haven't already. Even if they don't feel he needs antibiotics right now, explain that you'll be on vacation and ask if they can at least give a script for one, so at least you'll have it in case it gets worse.

Lots of rest, orange juice , chicken broth, and TLC!

Some pixie dust sent your way, hope he feels better soon!

thanx! am planning on taking him in to see the doc tomorrow...good point about getting the prescription. at least, i have 2 days!

anyone else know??!! i just hope he gets well soon!

 

[dairyou]

What do you think he has? Cold with an ear infectiion? Flu?

Sometimes you can tell how long it can linger with his past history.

One time my son came down with the stomach flu in the middle of the cruise. We quarentined him in the room and it was such a bummer. It wasn't fair to others that paid good money to have their kids sick also.

Hopefully we will be fine! I worry now too since we have only 10 more days. Lots of handwashing for us! Thats why we always buy insurance.

Deb

 

[mickeyboat]

Is he vomiting, diarrhea? I think they will ask you some health questions before you board, and will deny passage to someone who is sick. How sick - I don't know.

Do you have travel insurance? This is exactly the situation where it might come in handy.

I agree with the Dr. visit. My pediatrician gave us a Rx for an antibiotic, just in case someone came down with something.

Hope your little one is feeling better soon.

Denae

 

[rsjj]

i'm not sure what he's got. just a fever. no vomiting, or diarreah (sp?), and doesn't seem to have any other symptoms...just a fever! and yes, we do have trip insurance. oh i hate this!!!!! can't wait for tomorrow, so i can go see the doc!!! thanx everyone for your kind words/thoughts!!!! i hope he gets well too!

 

[bcnb103]

I hope he gets to feeling well soon! Hope all goes well at the doctors. Mine is having a allergy season type thing going on. I hope it is just from getting back from Illinois with the air difference etc. and not a cold. Take care and lots of pixie dust for you!!!
BCNB

 

[staceymerrill]

as John Lennon once said:

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans"

let your child rest for a few days...kids get fevers all the time.DCL is not the Ellis Island of cruise lines...they are not going to ask detailed questions of everyones health...your child should feel especially better after eating a mickey ice cream bar and seeing that water slide....even if your child is under weather for first day or two of cruise, I'm sure he will feel fine soon after....dont let your worries spoil your vacation...

 

[natsmom125]

Just give him whatever you have, Tylenol, Advil, whatever to get his fever down. Let him rest, give him plenty of fluids.

Every year from about the time my DD was 3 and including this year, she is now 12, she spikes a high temp. She, like your son, has no other symptoms. She might be a little lethargic, but that's it. It usually takes about 2 days, but the fever does come down. This last year, I took her temp on Thursday morning to see if she could go to school, it was 103...and it did not break until Friday afternoon.

So, if he is showing no other symptoms, like someone said, ear ache, throat hurting, etc.....then he should be fine.

Good luck..
Phyllis

 

[kcashner]

I'm going to take the "mean mom" approach to this. If I were on your cruise, I wouldn't want my kid to get sick from hanging out with your sick kid. You don't want to be on the ship with a sick child--you'd rather use the insurance to reschedule when he is well.

I'd suggest a couple things--first, the pediatrician and explain the situation to him about the cruise. Secondly, answer the health questions at the port honestly. They do ask about a fever within 24 hours. If the answer to this is "yes," you will either be denied boarding or be seen by the ship's doctor and re-evaluated. In that case, it is to your advantage that you saw the pediatrician. The medical questions before you board are basically the same things that you're asked to not send your child to school, Sunday School, day care, etc. for--fever, vomiting, diarrhea, unexplained nasal discharge, etc.

There's a reasonable chance that your son will be well in a day or so....but if he has something that has persisted for 3 days, you really don't want to be sailing with a sick kid.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

i'm not sure what he's got. just a fever. no vomiting, or diarreah (sp?), and doesn't seem to have any other symptoms...just a fever! and yes, we do have trip insurance. oh i hate this!!!!! can't wait for tomorrow, so i can go see the doc!!! thanx everyone for your kind words/thoughts!!!! i hope he gets well too!

Unless something changes, is sounds like everything will work out ok. If he's only got a fever, isn't vomiting, and doesn't have any other "flu-like" symptoms, you will still be able to go on the cruise. Two days before the 14-day Repo, DS got sick too, so I know what you're going through.

In our case, DS had an ear-infection and a cold (and we were supposed to be flying out the next day). We spend the first few days of our trip medicating him and watching the fever. He got enough antibiotics to bring the fever down and stay down soon after we got on-board. Other than that, everything worked out great.

 

[Mortlives]

Lots of garlic wouldn't hurt either. I usually put fresh garlic in broth when someone in our household is sick. We're not normally sick for long. As an added bonus, the garlic keeps other people away so the illness doesn't spread.

Good luck, and I hope DS feels better soon.

 

[rsjj]

I hope he gets to feeling well soon! Hope all goes well at the doctors. Mine is having a allergy season type thing going on. I hope it is just from getting back from Illinois with the air difference etc. and not a cold. Take care and lots of pixie dust for you!!!
BCNB

thanx, Becky!! i hope so too! sorry about those golden ears!!

 

[mommasita]

I am sending pixie dust, and lots of it....My DD6 had this last year as well, and it was not easy, but as soon as we got to Florida it went MUCHMUCH better...

You have great advice, and saying prayers for you..

 

[logan1_2000]

Okay, now Garlic has been added to the list of what you should do to save your cruise. Keeps vampires away, too, according to most movie versions.

I missed out on a WDW because of a feverish, ear infection nephew back in November. It happens, my immediate family re-grouped and substituted a DCL Wonder Cruise 60 days later in January. Its a shame we missed out on our scheduled extended family vacation, but we enjoyed what we did instead.

All adding up to the potential for a miserable let down and waste of precious vacation time and $ if he wasn't all the way better. You have the insurance, I think I am seconding what was labeled as the mean mom approach by being a mean dad and you'll re-schedule another time, and let the child get well and then figure out the next move. Roll of the dice to go forward if he hasn't gotten well in advance of the trip to the port. And no one wants to remember a DCL cruise as the trip little billy was sick and someone was stuck in the room with him.

Its a shame, but its part of raising kids, and I always make the unfounded assumption that parents taking children on a DCL cruise are good parents, so I know you have his best interests at heart.

And noticing the California address, and remembering that the Magic is visiting the West Coast for a few weeks more, I realize that there might or might not be a next time to take a cruise on DCL w/o adding extra travel days and hundreds or thousands of dollars in travel to the port. Doesn't make it easier. Hoping you get a well child really quick to make this all easier.

 

[rsjj]

I'm going to take the "mean mom" approach to this. If I were on your cruise, I wouldn't want my kid to get sick from hanging out with your sick kid. You don't want to be on the ship with a sick child--you'd rather use the insurance to reschedule when he is well.

I'd suggest a couple things--first, the pediatrician and explain the situation to him about the cruise. Secondly, answer the health questions at the port honestly. They do ask about a fever within 24 hours. If the answer to this is "yes," you will either be denied boarding or be seen by the ship's doctor and re-evaluated. In that case, it is to your advantage that you saw the pediatrician. The medical questions before you board are basically the same things that you're asked to not send your child to school, Sunday School, day care, etc. for--fever, vomiting, diarrhea, unexplained nasal discharge, etc.

There's a reasonable chance that your son will be well in a day or so....but if he has something that has persisted for 3 days, you really don't want to be sailing with a sick kid.

i completely understand! yes, i wouldn't want my children to be hanging out w/other kids that are sick, as well! so that's why DH & i were seriously discussing our "options" last night...

and no, we don't plan on going, if DS6 is so sick, vomitting, diarrhea, etc. (although we would all be so bummed out!!), but he doesn't seem to be having any of the other symptoms! and i wasn't going to "lie" about it, trying to "sneak him" onboard, or anything, cuz i know all of us would be miserable!...i posted this, just to see what others have done, and what dcl would do in such cases. and yes, i admit...i was in a semi "panic" mode, when i posted!!

anyways, thank you everyone for posting your suggestions & sending pixie dusts our way...

now update...DS6 woke up this morning...fever is down. says he feels fine. slept thru the night, except he woke up once at around 10...gave him another dose of tylenol...as soon as the doc's office opens, will take him in and see. and will let you know how it all turns out. (happily ever after, hopefully!!)

 

[Cruella de mom]

Go to the Dr. Meantime, LOTS of fluids and rest.

My DD gets fevers with everything even just being over excited. We don't even treat her fevers until they are well over 101 because otherwise I would be giving her tylenol all the time. I avoid giving my kids anything to treat fever unless they are uncomfortable because a fever is the body's way of healing itself.

Fluids really really help with fevers. I can get all three of my kids temperatures down a little just by feeding them koolaid (its a rare treat so they guzzle it) and letting them watch tv (another treat in our house).

Meanwhile, don't panic. The Dr should be able to tell you what to do.

Good Luck

 

[HooKooDooKu]

I'm going to take the "mean mom" approach to this. If I were on your cruise, I wouldn't want my kid to get sick from hanging out with your sick kid. You don't want to be on the ship with a sick child--you'd rather use the insurance to reschedule when he is well.

While I don't disagree with kcashner's sentiment, I don't think this is so cut-and-dried as is laid out here.

First of all, if you have to reschedule a cruise because of an illness, you will have to pay not only the change fee, but you'll also have to pay the current prevailing rate for the new cruise. Given that these illnesses are such last-minute, this usually makes for a significant price increase when you booked the cruise a year ago.

Second, I don't see anything in the insurance that says it will pay for the cost of changing your sailing date. It will pay if you have to cancel the trip, but that's only if a doctor is willing to state for the record that someone should not take the cruise (and this is a responsibility I have found doctors very reluctant to do in all but extream obvious cases).

Third, Anytime someone has reported that they saw a ship's doctor and were denied passage, they didn't get to just cancel the trip and file an insurance claim for a refund but instead were given some sort of a concilation vacation.

Again, I'm stating this all based on MY interpretation of the insurance text (excet the part about doctor's reluctance... that I've experienced). Does anyone have PRACTICAL experience with this type of situation?

The one time I tried to look into postponing a trip because of illness, DCL couldn't offer any help other than to tell me the cost involved in changing the trip because it was a weekend and the insurance company is only open for questions during the work week.

 

[Disney with Triplets]

While I don't disagree with kcashner's sentiment, I don't think this is so cut-and-dried as is laid out here.

First of all, if you have to reschedule a cruise because of an illness, you will have to pay not only the change fee, but you'll also have to pay the current prevailing rate for the new cruise. Given that these illnesses are such last-minute, this usually makes for a significant price increase when you booked the cruise a year ago.

Second, I don't see anything in the insurance that says it will pay for the cost of changing your sailing date. It will pay if you have to cancel the trip, but that's only if a doctor is willing to state for the record that someone should not take the cruise (and this is a responsibility I have found doctors very reluctant to do in all but extream obvious cases).

Third, Anytime someone has reported that they saw a ship's doctor and were denied passage, they didn't get to just cancel the trip and file an insurance claim for a refund but instead were given some sort of a concilation vacation.

Again, I'm stating this all based on MY interpretation of the insurance text (excet the part about doctor's reluctance... that I've experienced). Does anyone have PRACTICAL experience with this type of situation?

The one time I tried to look into postponing a trip because of illness, DCL couldn't offer any help other than to tell me the cost involved in changing the trip because it was a weekend and the insurance company is only open for questions during the work week.

Quite the opposite - with the various viruses than can become rampant if brought onto a cruise ship, doctors are quick to provide a statement that you shouldn't board the ship thus triggering most trip cancellation coverage. And yes, we understand that trip insurance usually doesn't provide for same fare on a different cruise, it only insures losses on current cruise. There's a short list of health-related questions asked pre-boarding now which includes fevers within last X # of days, vomiting or diarrhea, etc.

I think until she knows what is causing the fever, or can keep the child fever-free for 24 hours, it's hard to decide - is it an ear or sinus infection that is hardly contageous and a child bounces back quickly from or strep or other virus that can be highly contageous and leaves you with a sickly child for a week?

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Quite the opposite - with the various viruses than can become rampant if brought onto a cruise ship, doctors are quick to provide a statement that you shouldn't board the ship thus triggering most trip cancellation coverage.

Unfortunately that is NOT what I've experienced. We had a situation two years ago where the family came down with a stomic virus a few days before a 4-day cruise. I did everything that I reasonably could to back-out of the trip before we left home. Any doctors I talked to would only say that they would give me a letter stating what treatment they were giving us, but none would provide a statement that "you shouldn't board the ship" that would for sure trigger trip cancelation.

Of course it's now two years later, and perhaps the publicity has caught up to the doctors and they now do provide the needed statements.

We faced this again this spring when just before the May Repo, DS comes down with "something". A trip to the ENT seems to indicate strep-throught. We tell the ENT about our planned cruise and he jokingly tells us "we might be taking a cruise". But when we confronted him point blank that "if we're not going on this trip, I need a statement from you stating that you are recomend we do not take this trip so that we can use that statement to file a $6000 insurance claim"... all joking stopped and suddenly DS was approved to take the trip. Then the day before we are to hop on a plane to start our vaction, we find blood in DS's ear and take him to the after-hours clinic. First off, they indicate the DS did NOT have streap (they did a test to rule it out, the ENT make the diagnosis strickly on symptoms). He DID have an ear infection and fortunately the anti-biotics he was on for streap was good for the ear infection. We bring up the subject of getting on a plane tomorrow for a vacation and the doctor seems to indicate that that would perhaps be better if DS didn't fly or take this trip at this time. Once again, I confront them point blank... "if we're not going on this trip, I need a statement from you so that we can file a $6,000 insurance claim". All of a sudden the attidute changes and he's clear to travel.