Jun 12, 2013 5 min read

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Finish the laundry, pay the bills, hold the mail, cancel the paper, pack your bags and handle all other unfinished household business before you and your family depart … the idea of going on vacation is exciting, but the actual preparation can also be stressful.

A Houston family that is preparing for a summer trip, and some local experts offered some tips about how to stay healthy and happy while on vacation.

Ron and Terri Weber of Houston and their 9-year-old son Tyler are preparing for a mid-month camping trip to Pymatuming with two other neighborhood families. That preparation consists of making lists of the meals they plan to eat each day, the foods they need to buy, and a list of the medicines and necessities they need to take with them to help ensure a healthy, calm and relaxing vacation.

“We bring along the usual,” said Terri Weber. “Sunscreen, bug spray, Benadryl, Tyler’s inhaler if he has a cold, the first-aid kit, plenty of water, healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, and just about every type of pain reliever we might need if a problem would arise. I try to plan early to make sure I cover all the bases and don’t forget anything. I would much rather bring too much, rather than not enough.”

As for exhaustion before they leave?

“It is tiring to make sure you think of everything and get it all done before you go,” she said, “but we are very good about making sure we go to bed at a decent time the night before we leave, and we try to stay on as regular a schedule as possible while we are gone. Vacation is supposed to be a time to relax and leave the stress behind, so that’s what we try to do.”

AAA offers much of the same advice to clients, but Ruth Nagy, managing director for the AAA branch in Washington, has a few additional tips for those who are preparing for travel by plane, a hotel stay or trips to amusement parks.

“Staying healthy in hotel rooms is a big deal these days,” said Nagy. “So big that Best Western hotels have launched a new program geared specifically toward healthier hotel rooms by using light technology to spot and wipe out germs before guests ever check in.”

Nagy said two of the biggest germ culprits in a hotel room are the remote control and the door handles.

“If you sanitize those, you can save yourself the threat of picking up unwanted germs,” said Nagy, who also tells clients who plan to vacation on a cruise ship to use the sanitizer that is provided in the dining room and at various locations for the same reasons.

Nagy also recommends getting plenty of rest before leaving on vacation to prevent jet lag and driving weariness.

“If you are traveling by plane for a distance, it is important to remember to drink plenty of nonalcoholic fluids. Staying hydrated is essential for feeling and staying well while traveling.”

Dr. Wendy Bacdayan, a pediatrician with Pediatric Alliance in Peters Township, and the mother of three, offers patients and their families the same advice she prescribes for her own family.

“A waterproof, hypoallergenic sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 is essential for any type of vacation. Buy plenty and apply often,” says Bacdayan. “If you are headed to an amusement park, stay out of the park and out of the sun at the hottest times of the day, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and drink plenty of fluids. If you get sunburned, use an anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen and apply cool aloe vera compresses. Some people get rashes or reactions from sunscreen so look for a brand that is PABA-free. Swim clothes that contain sun protection are good choices too … It is also important for the family to plan a place to meet if they get lost or separated, and always wash your hands frequently.”

For beach vacations, Bacdayan recommends that parents bring along a hydrocortisone cream for unexpected rashes and a type of barrier cream to heal and prevent chafing.

“I always bring Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl and Band-Aids too,” said Bacdayan.

For plane travel with small children, the doctor recommends chewing or sucking on candy or gum during takeoff and landing to help equalize the pressure in the ears during altitude changes. To alleviate car sickness, a product like Dramamine is recommended: a non-medicinal option is the use of elastic sea sickness bracelets that can help with carsickness and nausea.

“Ideally, the person who gets car sick should sit in a place where they can see out of the front of the vehicle, and you should take frequent breaks to help minimize symptoms.”

Bacdayan reminds parents that it is important to keep the ear canals dry after swimming, which is best achieved by shaking the water out. There are also over-the-counter eardrops that can help prevent swimmer’s ear.

“Essentially, the key to staying healthy on vacation is similar to what we do at home,” said Bacdayan. “Wear your seatbelt and wash your hands. Try to get enough sleep, eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Good planning makes staying healthy a little easier.”