I'm off on my trip in two days and just today my son's school sent home a letter that there is strep throat in his classroom. He's 7. He shows no signs of being ill, if that changes before we leave then I will bring him to our doctor and see what happens. However, as of right now, it's just an elevated risk that he caught it from his classmate. My worry is what to do if he gets sick during the trip. We're going to Spain and Portugal for a little over 2 weeks.
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For something like a child with a fever, would I take him to a pharmacy or a clinic? If needed, will they do a strep culture and prescribe antibiotics? Or would I need to find an actual doctor, and if so, how? I'm taking children's pain reliever, and will find the words for possible illnesses/symptoms in Spanish and Portuguese. I've never been sick on a vacation, neither has the rest of my family. Hoping to keep it that way, but planning for the possibility.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9109 posts
Your travel insurance company can recommend tourist friendly medical facilities. In addition the US Consulate websites often have lists of english speaking doctors. Here's the listing for Madrid:
http://photos.state.gov/libraries/spain/164311/citizen-services/madrid_medical_june_13.pdf
The Lonely Planet guidebooks also have good listings.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10587 posts
Do you have travel insurance to cover you medically? If you don't, get it right now. Or you can just pay for medical treatment. When I got sick in Germany and had to see medical attention, I paid out of pocket and was then reimbursed by the travel insurance company. If he does develop strep, seek treatment ASAP. Not treating it can be fatal. I know of a case where a child died from strep.
Posted by
Portland, OR
1123 posts
I concur with what the others have said about travel insurance. I would also call your regular insurance company to see if they cover anything while there and protocol. Lastly I would call your child's doctor here and see if there is any chance that they would fill an Rx for you before you go in the chance that he does become ill.
You may want to also consider a homeopathic route and boost his vitamin c and also add some echinacea with goldenseal. These are great for the immune system and I usually take these before a trip anyway to keep from getting sick.
Sending you good juju for no sickness on your trip!! :-)
Posted by
Columbia, SC
989 posts
I had a similar situation several years ago, and left the country with two filled prescriptions ready to go, if they were needed. Fortunately they were not, but it was assuring to know we had them at the ready if they were necessary.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
It's also worth asking the hotel reception about doctors or health centres in the area.
Posted by
United States
223 posts
In some countries, such as Mexico, you can get antibiotics at a pharmacy. I'd go there armed with the specific antibiotic that would be the first course of treatment for strep. If I were in your shoes, in other countries, I'd call my regular doctor (for my child), and tell him the situation, and ask for a course of antibiotics in case he had the symptoms. Although there are resistance issues currently, most physicians would prefer prompt prophylactic treatment for something that could, if treatment were delayed, have a negative impact on the heart. I'd want the antibiotics with me just in case.