Tips for Keeping kids from getting sick

[twinklebug]

Although I'm not a germaphobic, last visit to Disney the trip was made less enjoyable for one member of our family due to a bug he picked up. Despite the numerous times I've told him to keep his mouth closed, my son learned the hard way not to "drink" pool water while swimming. He paid for it for days.

I need tips for keeping the members of your family healthy while visiting Disney!!! Let's have happy trips!!!

• spraying/wiping room with lysol
• keep mouth closed in pools
• carry germx for use during the day
• don't use airline pillows
• Avoid pain: Apply the sunscreen and remember to re-apply throughout the day!!!
• Avoid Heat exhaustion: Keep everyone hydrated! Ice Water is free at all counter service locations

 

[ekball]

Outside of the anti-bac lotions, lots of hand wipes (and table wipes before eating), sunscreen, rayshade, fluids, etc. (the obvious tips) I don't really have other suggestions. However, I am getting a bit concerned about this whole pool thing and people getting sick from them. I will be bringing my 1-year old and my (almost) 3-year old, and telling them to keep their mouths closed in the pool won't work. What to do? Not swim? That would be a bummer! What does everyone think? Is this a big problem that we need to worry about???

 

[twinklebug]

With kids that young I wouldn't be overly worried (unless your 3 y/o is into swimming under the water. The problems my son ran into were being dunked at the end of the slide (caught "wheeee"ing with his mouth open) and doing the orca thing (gross I know, he's been banned from swimming now if I catch him doing it)

 

[PixiePop]

We take airborne on our trips and of course frequent hand washing.

 

[twinklebug]

We take airborne on our trips and of course frequent hand washing.

Does that stuff really work?

I worked as a pharmacy tech for a bit when Airborne first came out on the market and one of the pharmacists said it's nothing more than a dose of vitamins. Maybe there's more to vitamins than I thought.

 

[Maybelle]

We don't use Airborne, but a friend uses it for her dd all winter long and swears by it.

We DO use Zicam during cold and flu season quite a bit, and have had great results when taken at the first sign of a cold. On our Disney trip last summer we all used a Zicam swab before and after our flights. None of us got sick, although we are always very conscious of hand washing, and we did always have the anti-bac gel with us. Not sure if the Zicam really helped that much or not, but I will probably use it again for my next flight.

 

[kimntrent]

It is a major dose of vitamins. I take it before I get on a plain to boost the system and then if I feel a sore throat coming on I do it again. We went to Hawaii and I felt a cold coming on. By the time we were at dinner it was gone. My girlfriend gave it to her 1 year old and he had a lingering poopy diaper but nothing else because of it after she smelled chemical sicko breath. Put it in grape propel or orange propel and drink it throught the day.

Also antibacterial hand washie and zicam is in all or suitcases.

 

[finz2left]

We swear by Zicam zinc sprays and nose swabs. We feel a cold coming on or see a sniffle, out comes the zicam! Medical studies have supported it's effectiveness in scientific peer reviewed journals.

We looove it! We are going to try Airborne next.

 

[CanadianPaco]

As prepared as you can be to prevent them from getting sick, I prepare for when they do. I'd rather have the Advil and Dimetapp on hand than have to rush out and buy it.
But I agree - the hang gel and the disinfectant wipes are a must! And cross your fingers!

 

[seashoreCM]

I second this: Wash hands frequently.

Do not touch food with bare hands (no skin to food contact). Teach kids how to use a napkin to pick up food that is normally held in the fingers (discard and replace the napkin if you forget which side touched the food).

The latter requires practice preferably done at home, and there may be a few instances of dropped ice cream cones. Do not scold kids with the "people are starving in [wherever]" or "now clean up that mess" routines. Otherwise the lesson will not sink in.

Rubbing alcohol and napkins is just as effective as disinfectant wipes not identical, and no residue is left that needs to be rinsed off. Be sure to get it under the fingernails. (It is a good idea to abolish long fingernails and fake fingernails.)

You can try this one but it won't work in many places notably escalators and ride lines. If you see someone near you sneeze, instantly turn and walk away from him, despite the now more circuitous roundabout path to your destination.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/health.htm

One time some co-workers and I, working late, were trying to decide where to go out for dinner. I made just one suggestion, "... a place where the food is customarily eaten using fork and knife, not using fingers or chopsticks ...". We ended up doing a sit down meal.

 

[finz2left]

I second this: Wash hands frequently.

Do not touch food with bare hands (no skin to food contact). Teach kids how to use a napkin to pick up food that is normally held in the fingers (discard and replace the napkin if you forget which side touched the food).

.......
One time some co-workers and I, working late, were trying to decide where to go out for dinner. I made just one suggestion, "... a place where the food is customarily eaten using fork and knife, not using fingers or chopsticks ...". We ended up doing a sit down meal.

LOL, I can just see my kids trying to eat french fries with a napkin . Seriously, I know they CAN use a fork, but they need to be kids, too. And, a few germs help them build up their immune systems. Several scientific papers have demonstrated that we get sick often now because we have over sterilized our kids lives.

Just a dissenting opinion, I guess. We do take Vit C and use Zicam, but I don't want my kids to be germ phobes. Geez, and when we start traveling internationally, what then? Kids, ignore local customs and insult your new friends, but sterilize, and bring your own silverware

 

[TruBlu]

Our entire family got very sick during our last trip, so I am interested any tips to keep it from happening again!

At one point we were sitting in the very back seats on the bus. The was an intake for the a/c behind us. DS4 was laughing because it was pulling my hair in. All I could think was, "I hope there isn't anyone sick on this bus.", because every airborne germ was being pulled right into our faces. Well, a couple of days later we all came down with the worst GI virus we've ever had. I know it is silly, but I really wonder if we caught it on that bus.

SO, we will never sit in front of the a/c intake on the bus again.

 

[peacelovemickey]

I AM a germaphobe although I have gotten better in the past year or so. I carry Lysol wipes on the plane and wipe down the trays and armrests etc. Clorox has that wonderful new "Safe to use anywhere" spray and I used a whole bottle on our room! I know that kids have to get sick and that we can be overly cautious by oversterilizing, so I am not as bad at home. I just don't want them to get sick at Disney if I can help it at all.

 

[KatieIsSoPR]

Anything Anti bacterial is, in fact, an incredibly bad idea to stopping infections. You know that little tag that says "Kills 99.9% of germs on contact" on all antibacterial things? What do you think it leaves behind? Bacteria that are actually harmful to you. Not only that, but now that all those unharmfull buggers are cleaned out, they have the space to grow and multiply and an unlimited food source (You!). If at all possible, use regular hand soap and warm water to wash hands. This also keeps bacteria form developing immunities to antibacterial products. If you must use antibacterial junk, use lotion afterward. It sounds weird, but lotion creates a barrier of lipids that make it hard for bacteria to anchor onto skin. (it basically does the same thing as trying to walk on ice) As for food, just have kids wash their hands with regular soap before. let them be kids! no one wants to pick up food with a napkin. Before you go on your trip, make everyone take vitamin C every day. I don't know if they make a chewable version for kids, but if not hey, kids have to learn to swallow pills sometime! Don't stress out so much about germs. Growing up I was always a down and dirty, playing with worms, frog catching, eating whatever I dropped on the floor, swimming in dirty lakes kind of girl, and today I hardly ever get sick from anything, and when I do, I get over it in a few days because I developed immunities as a little girl. The last time I had a cold (two years ago), I was out for a weekend, my dad, who I passed the cold on to, still had a bit of a cough three weeks later. I got over it because I strengthend my immune system when I was younger. By playing in the dirt and eating food off the floor and swimming (with my mouth open! And my eyes!) 99% of bacteria are completely harmless to people; the other 1% is the stuff that makes you sick, and only a small fraction of that is the stuff that makes you really sick. Bacteria were here before any other forms of life and reproduce faster than you will eat your lunch. A little alcohol isn't going to stop them, so stop trying.

 

[penguin087]

We swear by Zicam zinc sprays and nose swabs. We feel a cold coming on or see a sniffle, out comes the zicam! Medical studies have supported it's effectiveness in scientific peer reviewed journals.

We looove it! We are going to try Airborne next.

my swear by method to prevent colds...if I even feel the slightest hint of a cold coming on I start taking 1 b complex and 1 zinc tablet 2 or 3 times a day. I have not had a cold in several years. Its cheap and easy to always have on hand. I've never given it to my child though. Not that I wouldn't I just never have.

 

[ctseaton]

To answer an earlier question - they do make chewable vit. C (although they are BIG pills). They also make liquid Vit C. which I gave to my infant. I couldn't find it in the stores, but requested in from a pharmacy and they ordered and had it in the next day. It is absolutely wonderful to help boost the immune system.

Crystal

 

[TENIA66]

one thing you might consider is your current level of "nutritional reserves".......certain vitamins remain stored in the body and during periods of stress or illness they are used in their capacity to fight infection. they tend to be the fat soluble vitamins like A.....they are also the vitamins which also can be the most toxic because the body does absorb unlimited amounts versus water soluable vitamins like C which the body excretes the excess.......a good multivitamin taken at the recommended dosage of course if medically appropriate is a very good defense...

hydration of course is also........

a good decongestant and antihistimine can help if you encounter an allergic type situation with nasal drainage which might exacerbate into a secondary bacterial infection

i've read the alcohol gel opinions, and as an 20 yr employee in healthcare administration, alcohol gel in conjunction with good handwashing is your best bet...open areas covered also.....

avoid insect bites with proper and safe repellent....bounce dryer sheets seem to work...

excellent sun block.....

i also suggest "drying" ears out on low setting (no heat) 30 seconds or so following swimming to prevent against swimmers ear.......

if you encounter any scrapes or open areas on skin, keep covered and treat with neosporin or tao after cleaning.....air at night while in bed....

if you use a public use stroller, put your lysol to use......

remember some of the worst germ carriers are: bathroom doors, napkin holders, public phones, ride handles, straw dispensers.......

if you are unfortunate enough to encounter a stomach upset, stopping diarrhea with applesauce or immodium if medically appropriate will reduce the likelihood of spreading it to others

i guess we could just encase ourselves in plastic bubbles.........but anything you can do to prevent the spread of infection can help with not only the health of you and your family but other members of the public as well

 

[tink98]

We carry wet ones wipes and clean everyone's hands with those before eating. We also use one napkin spread out like a placemat on the table.

From what I understand, all the anti-bacterial gels and products do nothing to prevent the spread of viral infections.

DH and I find that whenever we sleep in hotels for a few days we start to feel a scratchy throat or develop a cough. It helps to turn the a/c down some.

In the parks, use a paper towel to open the bathroom door once your hands are clean. I would also suggest using one to turn off the water but I can't remember if WDW has automatic everything!

Bring you tried and true cold remedies from home, just in case.

Have a healthy trip!

 

[Newcastle]

I have to say that despite the controversy with respect to the hand sanitizing gels, there is no way that I will let my kids eat lunch or dinner after spending a day in the theme parks without sanitizing their hands first!! I would prefer hand washing but this isn't always convenient (i.e. even if I do take them to the washroom to wash their hands before lunch, you can be sure that they've touched at least a dozen different surfaces before they actually sit down to eat!). I am amazed at the number of people who will drag their sick children or family members into the theme parks in the midst of a GI bug (I have seen this referenced several times on these boards). I realize that the prospect of losing vacation time and money is upsetting but it just goes to show you that there is a decent chance that the person standing right next to you in line might be actively contagious with one of these bugs that may ultimately ruin your Disney vacation! If these people were at home, you can pretty much guarantee that they would not be sending their kids to school or going into work themselves if they had not yet fully recovered. Such is the nature of vacations I suppose!! (Bring out the hand gel!!)

 

[Eeyore Excitement]

Thanks for making this thread, I'm writing it all down for my Disney Reminder Binder. ^^