paranoid?

[dana1003]

is there any other parent out there worried about their kid getting sick right before you leave? im so afraid we're gonna be like a week away and that thy're going to come down w/something that prevents us from leaving? also-does anyone know if you get a refund for not being able to go at the last minute?

 

[all4fun]

I have heard of people pulling their kids from school a little early to help prevent them from catching something. It seems a little over the top to me however if you have a child that gets sick easily I can understand being tempted to doing something like that. As far as getting refunds, there are limits to how far in advance you can do that (like 30 days? I can't remember off the top of my head...) You can look into travel insurance which would at least cover part of it. Check Mousesavers.com site for some good info about this.

ETA: I just checked DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com site, who we booked our last trip through, and it says you can cancel or change up to 6 days prior to your trip with a fee of $100/person and 5 days or less there is a fee of $200/person....pretty steep imho. It's $50 to change the reservations and there are also fees associated if you have booked air travel with your package. I'm not sure if this only applies to pkgs booked through DU so check with Disney or your specific travel agent for details. hth.


hth and hope everyone stays healthy!

 

[dsnymomof4]

Yes, I used to be very paranoid about that. Then, last summer, after I tried so hard to keep everyone healthy before our trip, we ended up with a stomach bug DURING our trip! So now, although I hope that everyone is healthy for our trips, I know that if someone does end up getting sick, it will not be the end of the world and we will still have a good time. So, don't try too hard. Just relax and enjoy the anticipation of your upcoming trip. Hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[ndgqmiller]

I have three sick kids at home right now with some kind of fever virus. We leave in 10 days and hope we are all better by then. I am a go with the flow kind of person, but we have spent so much time and money on this trip I would be really sad if one of us van't enjoy it. Good luck!

 

[LuvOrlando]

Both of my kids have Asthma so I am super worried before a trip. I don't pull them out of school early through because the incubation period for most germs is 1-3 days but then you need 1-3 days for the meds to work if needed so now you are up to a week and you haven't even left yet.

Both of my kids inevitabley get sick when we are away, probably from some little sick kid who rode a ride right before they got on. In an effort to keep things controlable I keep the kids away from hot spots like Chuck E. Cheese & play dates the week before we go. I always bring my kids in for a check-up 3 days before we leave and tell my Dr. where we are going to be (WDW of course). I make sure I get the name of a pharmacy that will deliver to my hotel and put it in my cell before I leave. I always pack kids Motrin, Sudafed, pepto Bismal and keep the Motrin in my purse in addition to all the Asthma stuff that is ALWAYS there anyway. Then there is the all important Purell and wipes to wipe down every eating surface and all hands after getting on a ride. The bigger issue is that this stuff can't always be avoided but with a little TLC & management you can all still have a nice trip.

Some years my kids have gotten get ear-infections and we've either been to 'Urgent Care centers' or the Dr calls in a prescription t/b delivered and we're fine when we leave. One year I asked the DR for a perscription for antibiotics because someone else in my home had strep and it will probably spread,which it did. Our Dr wrote it out with instructions not to use it unless the fever comes, it came and I was prepared. Last year it was Croupe.

What can I do? Since Florida isn't too cold & I know it isn't too serious due to the check-up before departure I usually follow the Dr's orders. Usually this involved treating with Motrin (or whatever), wait until my child is feeling better and then have a slow kind of day watching parades , seeing a movie, going to the shows & resting frequently.

I don't think we've had an illness completely ruin a trip since my kids were 3 & 4...BTW this was the year before I started my traditional pre-vacation check-up. The $40 co-pay for both kids is well worth saving all the $ I am spending on my trip, I see it as a form of Insurance so I budget for the office visit like I budget for everything else.

Not everyone will agree with my methods but, then again, not everyone has Asthmatic kids and even those that do might be more inclined to 'see what happens' than I am.

In the end do whatever makes you feel comfortable & have a great time.

 

[dana1003]

its good to hear im not the only one...and i too have asthmatic kids..chuck e cheese is a place that i know for sure they always com away sick from. they have a bday party in some kids place around by my house and im thinking of declining..

 

[jennifer293]

We always go during the summer so they are not in school, but I make sure we stay at home for a little over a week and we don't go around anyone before our trip. They have not been sick at Disney, but this past trip they both came home with hand, foot and mouth disease...Not good going to the dr. the next morning after a 10 hr. drive home!! I needed a vacation from that vacation!!

 

[minniebeth]

Oh, yes, definately!!!
In fact, we are doing a surprise trip in January...
My DS has a Boy Scout "Klondike" Campout (the kids camp out all weekend in the c-c-c-old weather) the week before we go.... we will HAVE to come up with a good excuse as to why he can't go, so he can stay healthy for WDW!!!

I agree with the previous poster, we cut back on unneccesary stuff and do bed early, vitamins, avoid sick people like the plague....
Of course, I am as vigilant while we are there as I am before!

 

[Love the Mouse]

We just got back 10 days ago and I was worried about the same thing...especially since DH and myself were both sick 1 and 2 weeks before we left. I thought for sure that DD (2) would come down with something right before we left. I went out and bought children's Tylenol and some other meds to take with me.

She did get sick...the last day of our vacation. I was happy that she didn't get sick, and sad that she was feeling horrible for the last 2 days (we left late Saturday and she got sick on Friday). She was sick for the Halloween Party...although she LOVED the Trick or Treating.

It can't hurt to take stuff with you just in case it happens while you are there. One thing I didn't think of was Pedialyte. The store was closed and the front desk called someone to open the store for DH and got him the Pedialyte. Disney is just so nice. Since DD was vomiting that night, I thought there was nothing we could do, but they came to the rescue.

That's why we love Disney!

Michaela

 

[dsnymomof4]

Minniebeth, I know exactly how you feel. When we were planning our July trip 4 years ago, it was one week after my son was to get back from BS summer camp. I was so sure that something would happen to negatively affect our trip - he would break a leg or get poison ivy or something like that. But, he was really looking forward to it so we let him go and everything turned out fine - no accidents. I've gradually come to accept that things happen and we don't always have control over them (although we can still minimize the risks - live avoiding Chuck E Cheese!) We just returned from a trip in August and afterwards I realized it was our first trip during which nobody was sick! So good health to all of you planning your trips!