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HEALTH & ILLNESS OVERSEAS
A little basic medical knowledge, some well-chosen supplies, and a few precautions can go a long way toward keeping health-related troubles from interfering with your vacation plans. Overseas vacations, too, can introduce a whole new range of potential ailments and health issues.
See our First Aid Kit Checklist for basic guidelines on medications and supplies to take along on vacation, and, of course, contact your personal and family physicians for suggestions regarding your family's specific health needs.
You may wish to ask your doctor to recommend medications to carry along based on your destination. You may want to take Vermox (for worms), Promethazine cream (to prevent infection in skin wounds, including insect bites); diarrhea remedies like Lomotil; anti-malarial tablets; shampoo for head lice; antibiotic tablets; anti-seasickness tablets; or high-altitude medicine.
While an ounce of prevention is always preferable to the cure, if you or one of your family members do suffer an illness or injury overseas, you'll save yourself a lot of hassle by knowing where to turn for treatment. When traveling outside the United States, we've found it very reassuring to be members of the International Association for Medical Assistancee to Travelers (IAMAT). For an optional small donation (suggested amount is $25), IAMAT will give you a booklet containing the names of English-speaking physicians and the locations of hospitals worldwide. IAMAT recruits qualified, English-speaking physicians throughout the world. The doctors agree to a set payment schedule for IAMAT members, and the association accepts no fees from doctors, medical institutions or traveling members for this service. IAMAT will also send you information on climate, immunization laws and malaria charts. Participating doctors charge IAMAT members a fixed rate for a call, and have uniformly been excellent in our experience.
US headquarters:
IAMAT
417 Center Street
Lewiston NY 14092
International headquarters:
IAMAT
40 Regal Road
Guelph, Ontario
N1K1B5 Canada
And before you hit the road, "Travelers Medical Resource: A Guide to Health and Safety Worldwide" is an excellent resource by William W. Forgey, MD (ISBN 934-802-629) to dip into. Bed and Breakfast Inns |
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