Timehop has just reminded me that it is one year ago since Chloe and I headed off on our post GCSE exam holiday. After months of studying I took her to Kos for some relaxation. We absolutely loved the Greek way and this year I have booked a family break to Crete. We are hoping for much of the same as Kos. I have also promised Chloe a post A Level holiday next year however we will be following these 8 Holiday Health Essentials to Pack for your Holiday.
As much as we love the sun though we have learnt that Chloe needs to take extra precautions. It appears that she is very prone to heat exhaustion or heatstroke. She has had it the last two holidays which pretty much left her bed bound for 24 hours. She gets the whole shebang from sweats, headaches and sickness. Last year she got it about halfway through our holiday despite drinking lots of water (and very little caffeine or alcohol). Signs of heat exhaustion can include:
- tiredness and weakness
- feeling faint or dizzy
- a decrease in blood pressure
- a headache
- muscle cramps
- feeling and being sick
- heavy sweating
- intense thirst
- a fast pulse
- urinating less often and having much darker urine than usual.
Do check out the symptoms on the NHS site and be prepared.
8 Holiday Health Essentials to Pack for your Holiday
Holiday Illness can ruin a holiday after months of planning and excitement. Being a family of five we have had a few holidays where people are poorly and now I don’t leave home without my own survival kit!
- Take regular medications with you. Dylan gets bad hayfever and also has a weakness for the cold sore virus so we make sure we have his regular medications including antihistamines.
- Speak to GP about emergency prescriptions. Erin is an asthmatic and when she was younger it could get bad quickly. She would often need steroids after developing chest infections or when her asthma was bad. One holiday we had no steroids and she was really poorly the whole time. Now we always carry a spare set of steroids with us. Our GP is brilliant at making these available to us.
- Sunscreen – enough said we all know that we need to pack plenty and it is often cheaper to buy from a supermarket before you go rather than in resorts.
- We take a face mist to replace moisture. This keeps us hydrated in the heat.
- Insect repellent and bite spray. Bugs seem to find Lee tasty so this is much needed.
- Painkillers, not just for hangovers but for when you do get a headache due to the heat.
- Lucozade is Chloe’s medication. It gives her that pick me up when she is struggling with the heat, also if she skips a meal it helps keep her levels up.
- Plasters, someone will always get a blister from new shoes.
Packing the above is as essential as packing a swimsuit when you have a family. the holiday has been booked and planned for months and therefore it is sensible to be organised for if the worst happens. Also make sure that your health insurance covers you for illness and that the excess is not too high.
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