In 2019, my husband and I moved to Madagascar with our two-year-old. In the capital city of Antananarivo, travelers have access to medical care and pharmacies that carry most of the drugs you would expect to find at pharmacies in Europe (which is to say, much more is available over the counter than in the United States). Outside of the capital, however, it’s a much different story. Pharmacies and medical care are hard to find in rural areas, and due to poor roads and weak infrastructure, it can literally take days to get back to the capital from remote regions unless you end up on a medical evacuation flight… which is obviously a last resort! In short, it’s a place where a well-planned medical kit is an absolute necessity. So, what do you pack when you may need to fend for yourself (and for your kids) for up to a week before you can get to a doctor? Here’s my list of must-haves for traveling with kids when medical care may be difficult to reach.
Basic Over-the-Counter Drugs
- Children’s Tylenol (or Infant Tylenol). In my opinion, this is the number one most important thing in the kit. Fevers can get scary very fast—have something on hand to bring a fever down.
- Children’s Benedryl. This is a close second to Tylenol for me. Allergic reactions, like fevers, can get scary very fast, and especially when you’re travelling, you never know when a new allergy might surprise you. Make sure to check with your doctor about dosing.
- Pedialax and Pepto Kids. For children aged 6 and up, liquid Imodium is also a good idea. Your diet while travelling is likely to be different than it is at home, and that can wreak havoc on anyone’s system. A laxative and an anti-diarrheal are both good items to have on hand in case tummy troubles strike.
- Pedialyte electrolyte powder. Did I mention tummy troubles? Pro-tip: this stuff tastes way better than the “adult” version and does the same thing. Do yourself a favor and take Pedialyte for everyone in the family.
- Cough syrup. When my kid starts coughing, she’ll go until she pukes. I do not leave the house for a night without cough syrup! We like Zarbee’s Naturals (for children 1+).
- Sunburn cream. Self-explanatory, I think.
- Anti-itch cream. We generally carry both Benedryl Itch Sticks and Calamine lotion for surprise itches, as well as Cortisone cream for nastier stuff.
- Antibiotic Ointment. I’m always shocked at how quickly we can go through a tube of Neosporin while on a trip…
Prescription Drugs
- All prescription medications that your child normally require. Plan ahead and bring enough for your whole trip. Don’t count on being able to refill a prescription away from home.
- Antibiotics for “Traveler’s Diarrhea.” Before you travel, check in with your doctor to determine whether it makes sense for you to bring prescription antibiotics on your trip. If you are headed to a country where food preparation hygiene is a concern, you will probably want to be prepared for tummy troubles. Make sure that you have separate prescriptions for each child with dosing instructions that are appropriate for their age and size.
- Anti-malarials. If you are travelling to a place where malaria is a concern, you will want to look into anti-malarial drugs. They are a pain for a number of reasons, but so is malaria! Pro-tip: anti-malarial drugs are usually in pill form, which isn’t great if you have a small child. However, you can usually make them more palatable by crushing and mixing them with a spoonful sweetened condensed milk, which is readily accessible in most places worldwide. If your child will not swallow pills yet, check with your doctor about options.
Other First-Aid Kit Items
- Band-aids (I recommend an assortment of shapes and sizes!)
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Medicine dropper/syringe (for liquid oral medications)
- Self-adhesive bandages
- Sterile gauze
- Thermometer
- A water bottle with measurements (for mixing rehydration powder and monitoring fluid intake).
Disclaimer: This post is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your physician for personalized medical advice before taking any medication, including over-the-counter medication.
