Getting sick on vacation

[momtokendantom]

I was just wondering what you do if you have planned a wonderful family vacation and the kids (or you) get sick before or during the trip??? I have three sick kids home from school today and thought "what the heck would we do if we were on vacation!!!"

Has this happened to anyone and what do you do????


Michelle in MA

 

[CEDmom]

There is a clinic very close to Disney (can't remember the name) that the resorts will refer you to if you get sick. This clinic will pick you up and return you to your resort. I think they don't accept many if any insurance plans but you can submit the bill once you return home. They will accept credit cards. Also, there are pharmacies that deliver to the resorts. If someone does get ill my advice would be to ask a CM at your resort for assistance. From what I've read in numerous posts they're quite helpful in this and many other situations. Hope you have a fun and healthy trip

 

[Jordan's MOM]

So sorry that your kids are sick. Here comes prayers that they will be better soon.
when we took our first family vacation, DS was two and had not been a real healthy baby. I asked his doctor what I should do if he was to get sick on vacation.She said to always call them first. He does however go to a large pratice where someone is always on call. She said that they know our DS and have his records and could often call something in to a chain pharmacy in the area we are at. She also said they could refer us to a doctor in the area if that need arose.
I have not done either of these two things but have had friends that have. Consider if your child tends to have a cronic problem such as ear infections, get a well child visit to check it out before you leave. Ask for a perscription for this condition to take with you just in case.
This might not be an option for school age kids, but I have also known parents to keep their kids home from day care a few days before the trip to lower the chance of them being exposed to something right before they leave.
Of course if your child gets very sick on vacation and you can't get your dr at home, go to the local ER or clinic. Don't know about the clinic, but no ER can turn anyone away whether the insurance is accepted or not. Most policies(ours included) will reimburse most of the amount. If you are on site at WDW, they also have a dr that will come to your room. Expensive but great.
We have not ever needed a Dr, though DS has gotten mildly sick on trips before.
I advise also to take any medication (cold, stomach, prescriptions etc) that your could ever need. You can get most things at a resort gift shop but at a very elevated price, and you are not ever far away from a chain drug store but who wants to hunt it when your child has a fever at 3am??

Think positive!!!!

Jordan's mom

 

[ftwildernessguy]

My big fear was always that they would get sick just before vacation. We drive down, and there is nothing more miserable than a sick kid on a long drive. Now they are older, immune to most stuff, able to take meds to treat symptoms, and so it really isn't a big issue anymore.

 

[jacksonsmom]

my son decided to get sick on the day we arrive at Disney. He had a high fever (104, close to 105) & a bad cough.

I have to say Disney is WONDERFUL when he comes to sick kids. When I first called to the front desk to ask where the closest clinic was they asked what the problem was. When I told them my son had high fever they told me to stay there, that they will send over some EMTs. There were wonderful & waited with my son until his fever got down to 102.
Then they recommend us to go to the Care Clinic. Disney arranged transporation (we didn't have a car)
We did have to pay out of pocket, since the clinc did not take our insurance but once we got home we did submit it to our insurance & got all but our normal co-pay back.

The next day someone from the front desk called & checked on how my son was doing. Even our mousekeeper asked about him the next morning (she knew he wasn't feeling well) She even made him special animal towels. She said she wasn't very good at making them & doesn't make them often but she thought my son would like a couple.

Anyway, if you are staying on Disney, try not to worry too much. They will take care of you or your kids if they get sick.

Hopefully you will have a sick free vacation but it is nice to know that they will help you if you don't

 

[jx3smom]

This has happened several times. Once our DS had the flu about 1 day before we were leaving. Took him to the Doctor and got meds. We seldom fly but we were this time or I don't think we could have gone. A little Florida sunshine did wonders, though and he was fine.

Our youngest DS was 11 months old and was really cranky on his first trip to WDW we thought it was just the change but he started with a fever and we took him to the clinic there. He had a double ear infection. I felt like we'd been torchering the poor kid. They were wonderful at the clinic and he was fine in a day(just in time for the drive home).

Two years ago I made him (now 12, 10 at the time) go to school with a sore throat because he was missing school to go skiing. The nurse called me and he had a 103 fever. I felt so bad and took him to the doctor and he had strep throat. The doc said it was ok to leave the next day because the meds work quickly. We did and I got sick up there. Thank goodness it was me because I'm the only one who doesn't ski.

 

[JulianneP]

Ditto about the care Disney provides for sick kids. It was almost better then the care we have with our own Docter. They picked us up at the hotel 12 min. after I called Celebration Care. My son(age 4) developed the croup with a high fever. The docter was amazing the nurses were so kind!! Then the Centre care vans take you to pick up any meds at the pharmacy as well. The driver was so kind too he hands you the paper work to do in the van before you get to the clinic so you don't have the extra wait. He was give some steroids and albuterol to help his breatheing and was much but by evening. Kids rally quickly. This happened this September and he seems to have forgotten that he was sick on the trip. He never mentions it when people ask him about his trip.

 

[sandygirl]

DD was 4 when she got very ill on our trip to WDW. I called our insurance carrier at home to find out where to take her, and get this, they told me I was on my own because I was out of state. Nice, huh. When I called the front desk at Shades of Green to ask for assistance in directing us to medical care, they were wonderful. We did have a car so we drove to the clinic they gave us directions to. The doctor there diagnosed 2 ear infections and a throat infection. She was miserably ill. We did turn the cost of the visit ($150?) into our insurance and got reimbursed after a fight. The CVS Pharmacy had DD's information in their computer because all her prescriptions are filled at CVS at home. That was an easy part of the process. Unfortunately she was allergic to the antibiotic and broke out in a horrible rash for our 20 hour drive home! I never felt so bad for a little one as I did for her. We gave her Benadryl and tried to keep her as comfortable as possible. It was not a good ride home. We pulled in our driveway at 6:30 AM and I had her at the pediatrician's office when it opened at 8. The part I regret the most is the 2 days I knew she wasn't being herself but didn't get her checked out because she didn't have a fever. She didn't enjoy the Rainforest Cafe becasue the noise hurt her ears. If it happened again I would not hesitate to get her checked out as soon as I thought she might not feel well.

 

[Gretchen]

Never had a kid get real sick on vacation, but my DD was sick before. I always take a drug store along (everything they take when they are sick) and my nebuliser. One trip we had to have housekeeping come late (problem with mildew in the toilet, thought it was something else, yuck!) The housekeeper was wonderful, saw my daughter's neb and asked about it. She was using it on the trip, she was croupy and has a reactive airway. If anything sets her off, you'd think she was going to cough up a lung, it's so bad! He came back later with a stuffed animal for her. Now, that was really nice. Oh, to clean the neb unit, I needed vinegar. My husband was looking at me like I was nuts when I told him to just go to the restaurant and ask for some. He did, and they didn't bat an eye, just gave him a container of vinegar. Gotta love those Disney CM's.
Gretchen

 

[momtokendantom]

Thank you to every who shared your stories! I will try not to worry about it and make sure we take our multivitamins and extra Vitamin C daily until we leave in January.

Thanks again,
Michelle in MA