Sick again after a trip into the parks! Suggestions for avoiding this scenario???

[kkmcan]

I second the Wet Ones Wipes. I think I read about it here on the DISboards once that those are far more effective than hand santizier because of the active ingredient Benzethonium Chloride 0.3%. Not sure if thats true or not but we forgot to bring them with us last October and dh and I ended up getting sick the last couple days of our trip.

Then we went in Jan, a few weeks ago, and I made sure to pick some up and bring them with us and we all wiped our hands after every couple of rides, before eating etc and of course washed well after each bathroom break. No one got sick. Now I'm not pinning our health on these wipes but whenever we have taken them with us to DL we all are fine. We are not germaphobes and we don't regularly sanitize and we all have pretty heathly immune systems (rarely are any of us sick).

I also know that our trip in Oct was crazy stressful but fun at the same time. It was 100 degrees out, we were vacationing with 4 other families and it was very crowded so we spent most of our time running from ride to ride- not really enjoying the details. So maybe the fact that we did nothing but sweat and stress got us sick but still I feel better if we wipe our hands every so often.

Wet Ones wipes come in travel packs in the travel section of Walmart and Target. I always pick up a few packs before each trip, if I remember.

 

[kelmac284]

I didn't read all the responses but I agree with those that said you can OVER sanitize and it works against you. I too am one who is anal about having stuff clean and sanitary but not quite to the extremem you are talking about. For me it is at home I use a clorox cleaner for my kitchen counters/surfaces and all bathroom surfaces. Myself and my girls have the anti-bacs from B&B and use them quite a bit but otherwise we don't go to the extreme.

We usually only take 1 or 2 sets of pj's depending on the length of the trip and we do have to recycle jeans. I have fresh shirts for every day but not only do we not own enough pants for every day esp on a week or longer trip and there just plain isn't the storage room in our suitcases. Esp now with bag fees we try and consolidate.

I totally agree with hand washing and using sanitzer when you have touched obvious germ infested areas like railings, door handles and buffet areas BUT I don't go nuts either.

I get sick fairly easily but since I have stopped worrying about it and not gone nuts with the sanitizers (knock on wood) I haven't gotten sick in the last several trips.

Good luck to you and hope you feel better!

 

[jdb in AZ]

California has so many different plants (achoo!) and the smog really sets off ye olde allergies. i can always count on a stuffy/runny nose every time we go.

i do agree with wiping down/sanitizing the airplane tray tables, and hand washing -- often.

 

[Susie63]

I was just watching a program on the food network and two dieticians were talking about how high sugar consumption can reduce your immunity to fight off colds and flu! Who knew!

 

[larina]

I've only gotten sick once at Disneyland... I did use hand sanitizer more than I have used it on more recent trips....

In short, the solution is obviously to visit Disneyland as often as possible, to get acclimated to the germs and allergens there.

I totally agree, just go more often!!! I'll be telling my family about this!

I've been taking these immune system support pills called Wellness Formula when it starts getting cold and I haven't been sick in about 2 years now. Before, I used to get about 3 colds and 2 flu's a year so these pills really boosted my immune system. Most likely just a placebo effect but it gets really good reviews so who knows...

We use those when sick and find them very effective. They smell horrible though. UGH

Anti-bacterial sprays etc can actually make you more vulnerable to bacteria... The AMA are trying to educate people on this and limit anti-bacteria usage for this very reason...

If only people would listen. This isn't new. Anti-bacterial sprays kill everything but the toughest/worst bacterias, including the organisms that would help regulate those harsher bacterias. Essentially you are killing any bacteria that may HELP you and leaving only what is most harmful. Yuck!

I was just watching a program on the food network and two dieticians were talking about how high sugar consumption can reduce your immunity to fight off colds and flu! Who knew!

Yes yes yes. My kids know all about this and even turn down candy and sweets the week before we take a DL trip (ever since my daughter got sick while we were there).

 

[Bec3b1g]

Mom of 4 kids here--

We use the wet ones wipes. Not after every ride, though. Mostly before we eat and maybe once or twice throughout the day. I did go a little crazy during our trip (a couple years ago?) when the swine flu had just hit the news. I do wipe down trays when we fly and remind the kids not to touch their faces.

With 4 kids, it's impossible to keep everyone healthy all the time. I think I read somewhere that on average kids get sick 10 times a year. It's just part of being a kid. You can't really prevent it and it wouldn't be healthy for them if you did.

 

[SeattleTink]

Mugglemama, I'm so sorry you have such bad luck when returning home from DLR. It really makes you wonder what is going on?

Honestly, I cannot answer it. Sounds like you are taking every precaution and being proactive. Sounds to me like you are being a good mom and trying to prevent your kids from getting sick. I personally know some "germaphobes" and what you are describing doesn't qualify. lol.

I don't do any of those things, and my son has a couple times gotten a cold after our trips. I mostly attribute it to flying on a plane and being in a different environment where there are different virus strains. But, who knows? We try to wash our hands well before meals and when using the rest room...and have hand sanitizer, but I'm not too diligent using it.

Hopefully, you all feel better soon.

 

[kiwitravel]

Mom of 4 kids here--
With 4 kids, it's impossible to keep everyone healthy all the time. I think I read somewhere that on average kids get sick 10 times a year. It's just part of being a kid. You can't really prevent it and it wouldn't be healthy for them if you did.

Wow 10 times a year???? I wouldn't cope with that... it seems a bit high, my kids are certainly never more than once a year..

I second the Wet Ones Wipes. I think I read about it here on the DISboards once that those are far more effective than hand santizier because of the active ingredient Benzethonium Chloride 0.3%

This has been linked to hormone development issues in children... I strongly suggest anyone using antibacterial anything google AMA antibacterial and read through what the AMA and FDA have been working on in regard to getting their usage regulated

 

[Butterfly123]

I'd just like to add that what someone does at the parks not to get sick is not necessarily what someone does in their regular life. You build up your immunity long before a trip. Using antibacterials in the short term while at the parks won't affect that. I'm more careful on our trips...being sick at DL is no fun.

It sounds like the OP has not had good luck...hope you and your family feel better soon.

 

[VandVsmom]

We also use emergen c (DH and I) and I make sure we all stay well hydrated, we drink alot of water and eat lots of fruit. I also try to make sure before we leave to all get lots of sleep and rest and try to take it easy if we can (at least a week before).

That's our tips that we do to try to stay healthy.

Another thing you can do is to stay well-hydrated with lots of water. Viruses have a more difficult time replicating in moist enviorments.

Midnightred

I was also going to ask how well hydrated you are on vacation. It is real easy to not drink as much water and eat the lesser quality vacation food. We always try to make sure each girl gets at least 20 oz of water each day at Disney.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

Before spending money on Airborne, I suggest googling reviews, articles about its effectiveness. It seems the general consensus is that it does not help prevent colds. It is more of a placebo effect.

I can relate to you mugglemama. I have 2 girls and every time we took a trip, someone or both got sick. It didn't matter where we went, from WDW, to the beach, cities, and everywhere in between. All I can say is that over the years the sicknesses are fewer and farther between.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Sick again after a trip into the parks! Suggestions for avoiding this scenario???

My best suggestion is to teach your kids to not touch their face and mouth subconsciously. We all do it, and that's a large part of how we get sick.

A pp mentioned it earlier but respiratory illness is at least in part airborne, so when you're in the same space as others it's difficult not to breathe in the air. But some of it is also in droplet form that lands on things - then we come along, touch it, then touch our noses and viola, direct transmission. I also agree with others that said that putting things in your nose could serve to upset the natural immunity that we already have there and personally, I wouldn't go that route.

There was a long, heated thread a couple of years ago during a Norwalk outbreak at WDW. No question that GI illness is fecal-oral route transmission. You touch an infected surface, say, in a restroom and then touch your mouth, you're done. In a bathroom two of the nastiest surfaces are the knob inside the stall and the door handle leaving the restroom (thanks to those who go directly from the toilet to the outside). People think they're safe cause they've washed their hands but if they touch the handle afterward their hands are loaded with GI germs again.

The simplest solution for avoiding either illness is to force yourself to learn to keep your hands away from your face!

The human body has developed an amazing system of immunity. Let it do it's job naturally but help it along a bit by avoiding germs on hands and touching face. All the Purell in the world can't keep every single germ off your hands at every moment of every day. Keeping them from getting in to the body is more effective than anything else.

I'm guessing OP will say she does teach kids that, as we all do. I know I've been at it since my kids were little. Yet I still see them touching their faces sometimes and I'm like don't complain when you get sick! (Especially at this time of year.) When things "run through families" it's pretty easy to see what's happening. Kids are notorious for this and adults aren't always much better.

We did manage to avoid Norwalk during a major outbreak at WDW, btw. The only thing I was nutty about was just reminding everyone constantly to keep hands away from faces and bathroom hygeine, etc. I also did a crash course with the family before we left on germ transmission, lol.

 

[topolino]

Not sure how I gave people the impression that I was "neurotic about my kids getting sick".

This is how:

Lysol the sheets, bedspread, carpet, and entire bathroom of the hotel room,

*Clorox-wipe the light switches, TV remotes, faucet handles, doorknobs, counter, dresser top, table top, and the wooden handles of the chairs in the room,

*Everyone in my family uses Purell after every ride,

*Nobody crawls into bed at night after a day in the parks without being thoroughly showered, and dressed in a clean set of PJ's,

*We don't re-wear any clothes during the trip...once it's been worn into the parks, it goes into the dirty laundry bag....even sweatshirts,

*Hubby, kids, and I all gargle with saltwater before bed each night, swab inside of noses with saltwater and Q-tip as well (I read that this practice is supposed to help to "wash out" virus germs that may have been breathed in during the day),

*We all take 500mg of Vitamin C each night of the trip,

*Everyone washes their hands regularly with soap and water while inside the parks...after using the restroom, and DEFINITELY before being allowed to touch any food items.

Honestly, does that seem normal to you?

No one in my household does any of this, except for washing hands after using the bathroom. None of us has been sick in years.

If it's true that stress causes sickness, then no wonder the kids are sick. I'd be stressed too if I knew I wasn't allowed to touch the remote till mommy sanitizes it, or if I couldn't go to bed till mommy swabs my nose.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Hi OP.

One of the things we do when we have little ones with us is to keep away from counter service food and buffet food as much as possible. We stick to the diet that the child is most used to. We do this in particular to avoid upset stomachs from too much greasy or overly sweet or overly salty foods, but it does seem to keep some common illnesses away.

Washing hands as you know is the number one preventative. Washing hands before meals is pretty standard and I'm really stunned that so many here seem to think it's unimportant. One more reason for the rest of us to wash our hands, eh?

I'm not a fan of antibacterial gels only because they seem to give a false sense of confidence (and don't kill some of the worst bacteria and viruses out there). No matter. You like them, so use them!

I wonder if the illnesses right after or close to your returning home are more a result of being exposed to just so many different unsanitary public conditions?

Anyway, it's no fun at all being sick, especially with children, especially when you have to go to work!

 

[TwingleMum]

I totally agree about the over use of hand sanitizers. You need to be exposed to germs to build immunity. Your routine sounds exhausting and how fun is it after every ride to have to purell. I mean your excited and pumped about the ride you were just on and hold it purell first. Mood killer. I have 4 kids we are DVC members and go often and never get sick. The only thing we do is before eating we have a bathroom break (washing with lots of soap and hot water) and then I have them use the hand sanitizer.

 

[BlueBayou]

We have been lucky that our girls have never been sick at Disneyland.

And yes there was one time I looked behind me to see my oldest with her mouth on the handrail of the Alice in Wonderland ride line. She was 7 or 8 at the time. Way old enough not to do it. (it wasn't like she was licking or sucking it - the bar just happened to be at mouth level, she was bored and leaning on the rail face first - oh so gross).

My shock and my daughter's explaination had everyone in the line around us there laughing (I wasn't yelling at her - just wide eyed, disturbed asking what was she thinking).

Normally we do not take that kind of risk - but we are not a hand sanitizer at every chance kind of family. We bring it - and use it mainly for when we are going to eat something and there is not a bathroom nearby. Or, somehow one of my kids ends up touching gum left under a table or on the ground and it gets on their shoe - and they touch it. I don't think there is a particular gum problem at DL - my kids are just magnets.

This is going to sound odd - but do you folks drink caffeine? I only ask because I use to get migraines a couple times a year. When I got one a month for 4 months in a row - my doctor told me to stop caffeine. I only drank a cup of coffee a day - and maybe one soda - so I figured that was not going to be it. Sure enough in the six or seven years since I gave it up - I have only had two migraines and they were totally stress/lack of sleep related.

I mention this because once I got over the lack of being able to have a pick-me-up in the afternoon - I have not felt healthier in years. And I think I have had just two colds. I really feel better, stronger, healthier without it.

Sorry your trip (and the drive home) ended badly. A car ride with a sickie is a recipe for spreading the yuck!