撰文:張傑醫生

 

每年年末也是快樂和痛苦的混合季節,痛苦可能是孩子要考試、在職父母忙著公司的年結。快樂的是有較長的假期,可以有時間去旅行休息。不過,不少父母其實心驚膽跳,原因是他們安排了與孩子出門,但是孩子如果這個時候才生病,該怎麼辦呢?

 

如果遇到的是意外或大病,旅行必然會取消的。最大問題的卻是孩子患上小病,但怕影響行程。首先,筆者建議要先「預防」。有些朋友會問,生病怎樣可預防呢?答案是可以的,只要嚴守出發前兩星期的時間。首先,筆者建議在出發前最少兩星期替孩子注射流感疫苗,因為疫苗需要半個月才可生效。在眾多發燒相關的疾病當中,只有流感是有疫苗可以注射的。

Written by : Doctor Cheung Kit

 

The year-end is a season of mixed emotions, with both joy and pain. The pain may come from children having exams or working parents being busy with the year-end matters for their companies. The joy lies in having a longer holiday, providing an opportunity for travel and relaxation. However, many parents are actually anxious because they have planned a trip with their children, and the concern arises: What if the child falls ill during this time?

 

If it’s an accident or a serious illness, the trip will inevitably be canceled. The bigger issue is when the child gets a minor illness, and there’s a fear it might affect the travel plans. First and foremost, the author suggests “prevention.” Some may wonder, how can illness be prevented? The answer is yes, as long as strict measures are taken in the two weeks before departure. Firstly, the author recommends getting the flu vaccine for the child at least two weeks before departure, as the vaccine takes half a month to take effect. Among many fever-related illnesses, only the flu has a vaccine that can be administered.

接著,在最常見的兒童簡單傳染病症中,例如病毒性腹瀉、上呼吸道感染、水痘和急性胃炎等,潛伏期一般在一星期內。所以,父母必須盡量避免孩子接觸這一類疾病的源頭,包括室內的遊樂中心、泳池、醫院和遊樂場等等。雖然手段較嚴苛,但是如果以旅行為目標,也要作出少許犧牲。再者,若是真的不幸在兩星期前染病,理論上也有足夠的時間可以復原。

 

如果不幸在出發前生病,第一當然是看醫生。當證實只是小毛病時,請留意以下5個重點:

 

1. 請醫生開足夠的藥物,直至旅程完畢

2. 如果藥物(例如液體的抗生素)是需要儲存在雪櫃中,就要考慮轉換酒店之間保存的問題

3. 請醫生準備病程和診斷結果的信或記錄在健康手冊中,以便當地醫護人員跟從

4. 如要擕帶液體的藥物上機,請先向航空公司查詢。在有需要時,醫生要預先用文字形式通知航空公司

5. 向售賣旅遊保險公司查詢有關當地看緊急醫療的安排

 

有時小朋友生病的確避無可避,不過總有東西可以配合的。

Next, among the most common simple infectious diseases in children, such as viral gastroenteritis, upper respiratory tract infections, chickenpox, and acute gastritis, the incubation period is generally within a week. Therefore, parents must try to avoid exposing their children to the sources of such diseases, including indoor play centers, swimming pools, hospitals, and playgrounds, among others. Although the measures may be stringent, if travel is the goal, some sacrifices may need to be made. Moreover, if unfortunately, the child falls ill within the two weeks before departure, theoretically, there should be enough time for recovery.


If the child falls ill just before the trip, the first thing to do is, of course, to see a doctor. When it is confirmed to be a minor ailment, pay attention to the following five points:


1.  Ask the doctor to prescribe enough medication until the end of the journey.

2.  If the medication (such as liquid antibiotics) needs to be stored in the refrigerator, consider the storage between hotels.

3. Ask the doctor to prepare a letter or record of the course and diagnosis results in the health handbook for local medical personnel to follow.

4. If you need to bring liquid medication on the plane, inquire with the airline first. When necessary, the doctor should notify the airline in writing in advance.

5. Inquire with the travel insurance company about local arrangements for emergency medical care.

 

Sometimes, children falling ill cannot be completely avoided, but there are always things that can be coordinated.