Is your kids’ health a major concern to you?
Before embarking upon an eventful journey in one of the most historically and culturally rich countries that is India, are you worried about your little ones? Are you concerned about their health? Do you have second thoughts even before beginning with the tour?
It is normal to be worried, but there are numerous precautions you should follow with your children, through which you can ease all the fears. The following article will turn out to be a helpful guide for how to keep your kids from getting sick while traveling in India. Follow these simple tips and treat yourself and your kids with a wondrous getaway to the Indian Sub-continent.
1 Avoid Tap Water
Photo by Mcability
This is a must take precaution! You just cannot take the risk by letting your kids drink tap water.
In India, the salt and mineral content in water may vary from region to region and is certain to be different from what your children’s gut is accustomed to. When you visit Rajasthan, you will find drinking water here quite dry, as compared to the states in the west, where water has a high salt content. Not just that, before discharging the water into the mains, it is seldom treated and this is true for most of the places in India.
I will advise you to use packaged drinking water for drinking purposes and just make sure the seal on the bottle you buy is intact. Also, it is advisable to use bottled water for brushing your teeth. Packaged mineral water is readily available across India and we will advise you to stick to the bigger brands such as Bisleri, Kinley or Aquafina. If these are not available, then the last resort is to use boiled tap water for drinking purposes.
2 Always Carry a Hand Sanitizer with You
Photo by Valerie Everett
Many places in India are gutted with pollution, dust and what not. We’ll advise you to keep a hand sanitizer with you or if that is not an option, then at least keep a soap with you so that you and your kids can wash their hands before and after meals. This little practice will greatly reduce the chance of you getting diarrhea and rules out the possibility of your children wrenching or puking away, throughout the tour.
3 Avoid Roadside Stalls and Vendors
Photo by GOLDINPIC
Whether you are on a trip to Chandigarh, Dehradun, or exploring the temples in Kanyakumari for that matter, every destination in India is studded with street side stalls, selling lip-smacking food. Neither you nor your kids will be able to resist the enticing looks and smell of India street food. The mouth starts to water at the first glimpse of roadside stall selling gol gappas, momos, tikka choley, chat masala etc.
But always keep in mind that these stalls or roadside vendors use untreated tap water to prepare these dishes, and are located on polluted streets. Eating at these joints is like sending out an open invitation to a plethora of diseases which are every traveler’s nightmare. So please prefer some upscale restaurant if your family wants to have a wholesome meal or at least scout a busy restaurant which has a steady clientele and knows the value of good hygiene practices. Nowadays, even the upscale restaurants offer various street food variations to be relished upon by guests in the country.
4 Avoid That Scorching Sun
Photo by hans
If you can protect yourself and your children from the heat of our scorching Sun, then half of your problems are already solved. A heat stroke or sunburn can cause problems and if you are already sick then these can greatly aggravate your condition. If you are not touring or doing an excursion trip, then we will advise you to stay indoors, apply sunscreen before you go out and cover yourself with shades, hats, and proper gear. If you have the option, prefer traveling by cars, to stay off heat, and follow some tips to keeping your kids from getting carsick. Watch out for ‘Loo’ or the tropical seasonal summer hot gusts, in the western states as exposure to these winds can cause serious heat stroke. Stay well hydrated as a precautionary measure.
5 Get Vaccinated
Photo by stevepb
Yes, your kids to muster up some courage if they are afraid of needles because many of the tropical & subtropical diseases can be prevented by proper vaccine shots. It is advisable to pay a visit to a valid doctor or practitioner, discuss your travel plans with him/her and get run-down of the vaccination process you need to go through. As they say, prevention is always better than cure, some major diseases in India are vaccine-preventable and we will advise you to explore this precautionary measure in the best possible way.
The above precautions do make India sound like a dire destination to visit, but it is not so. India, like any other country, is different from the country you live in, and children are not as strong when it comes to handling changes and fall ill easily. Therefore, it is better to keep them protected to be able to enjoy and learn from the rich and diverse heritage of the country to the fullest.
Author Bio
Himanshu, a blogger, believes that every being has a travel bug and he intends to awaken that travel bug in everyone by sharing his travel stories on Pearls India Tours.
