What to Do If Your Child Gets Sick During Travel: Self-Care and When to See a Doctor | Does a Child With Fever, Vomiting, or Diarrhea Need Medical Care?
■Symptoms
Children may become unwell during travel due to changes in their environment, daily routine, or sleep schedule. Common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and fatigue. Diarrhea and respiratory symptoms are relatively common among children traveling internationally.
Young children may not be able to clearly explain how they feel. It is important to watch for changes from their usual condition, such as being less active than normal, refusing fluids, or urinating less frequently.
■Causes
Possible causes include:
- Infections that require careful evaluation, such as pneumonia or meningitis
- Dehydration or heat-related illness caused by vomiting, diarrhea, or hot weather
- Infections such as influenza, COVID-19, or gastroenteritis
- Common colds and mild respiratory infections
- Long-distance travel, lack of sleep, or changes in diet and environment
Infants and young children can become dehydrated more quickly when they have vomiting or diarrhea, so careful observation is important.
■When to Seek Medical Care
Seek Medical Attention Promptly If Your Child:
- Is unusually drowsy, difficult to wake, or responds poorly
- Has difficulty breathing or has pale or bluish lips or skin
- Has a seizure
- Is unable to drink fluids or is urinating significantly less than usual
- Is vomiting repeatedly and cannot keep fluids down
- Has a fever with a rash that does not fade when pressed
- Is younger than 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher
These may be signs that prompt medical evaluation is needed.
You May Monitor Your Child’s Symptoms If:
- Your child can drink fluids
- Your child is alert and behaving close to normal
- Your child is urinating normally
- The symptoms are mild and gradually improving
However, traveling means being in an unfamiliar environment. If symptoms persist or worsen, or if you feel that your child is “not acting like usual,” we recommend seeing a doctor as a precaution.
■Self-Care
- Allow your child to get plenty of rest at the hotel.
- Offer small amounts of fluids frequently.
- Use an oral rehydration solution (ORS) for vomiting or diarrhea.
- Continue breastfeeding if possible.
- If your child can eat, offer food in small amounts without forcing them.
Preventing dehydration is especially important when a child has vomiting or diarrhea.
■What We Can Do at Our Clinic
We provide:
- English-speaking medical care
- Medical consultation and assessment of your child’s overall condition by a physician
- Temperature and blood pressure measurement and physical examination
- Blood tests when indicated
- Intravenous (IV) fluid therapy for dehydration when appropriate
- Prescription medications based on your child’s symptoms and condition
- Referral to a pediatric specialist or pediatric medical facility when necessary
■Appointment
At our clinic in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, we provide medical consultations for children who become unwell while traveling in Japan. We offer same-day appointments and English-speaking medical services.
If your child develops a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or other symptoms during your trip, please feel free to contact us by phone or email.
International Clinic Osaka Shinsaibashi (ICOS)
Address
4F Zenith Building, 1-13-25 Nishi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan
Phone
+81-6-6484-6392
Email
c.icos@international-clinic-osaka.com