Did you take a sick child?

[bratmaster]

I am wondering if anybody has had the misfortune of having a family member, particularly one of the children, get sick right before their trip? I am just trying to think of all the things that could go wrong for us, and with 3 kids, this is a distinct possibility. So who out there has dragged a puking or otherwise sick kid with them? Particularly for those driving down, because that is what we are doing. I mean, what can you do? disney isn't the sort of thing you can just decide to not do at the last minute.

[Strmchsr]

At 2 am before out flight was to leave at 6:30 am DS (then 5) woke up . I was in full blown panic and wasn't sure what to do. He didn't have a fever, and, after he once went back to sleep (I, on the other hand, slept none). If he had been running a fever or felt bad, I would have canceled. That's why I buy trip insurance. He woke up feeling fine (though he on the plane just as we were landing in Orlando). Turns out that was the beginning symptoms of his diabetes, which we didn't know at the time, but it was a really tough decision. I'd say just have trip insurance then you don't have to worry. If a kid is sick, no worries. You just reschedule the trip. For me, no vacation is worth inflicting upon a sick child (it ruins the whole point of a vacation), plus I don't want to infect anyone else on the plane or at the parks.

[Master Gracey]

When I was younger, I was always sick before we went on vacation. I think it was just the excitement. Anyway, my parents never cancelled and we always had a great time. As a parent, I'm really not sure what I would do. Before our last trip, my 11 month old broke his leg the day before we left. I took him to emergency and was ready to cancel the trip but two doctors and a nurse told me I would be better off to take him on vacation because it would be easier to keep him quiet that way. They were so right. I guess what I'm saying is that it depends on the situation and if you are able to consult with a doctor, you definetly should. It made me feel a lot more comfortable.

[Ltmoko]

4 days before we were going on a huge family vacation, our DD got sick and dehydrated. We were ready to cancel but, we had 12 people in our family going and we did not want to miss it. We talked to our doctor and she said if we can get her to keep things down and to drink, to go. Well, we were going to leave saturday am, she got sick on Wed, buy friday night she still was not ready to travel. So I called Disney to see what options I had. They were very accomodating. I had adjoining rooms with another family member that I did not want to lose. They said they would hold my room for me for a day or two. ( they did not charge me for the 2 days I missed) I quickly got on the internet to find another flight for the next day. I could only get a late night flight ( oh well). We arrived 2 am monday morning but aleast we were at WDW. My daughter was still a little under the weather until late monday afternoon but, everything turned out fine. Putting the trip off alittle instead of cancelling was worth it. Dont get me wrong, we would never put a trip ahead of our DD health. We were lucky that she was getting better before we left. We took it easy the first day, just to make sure. Good luck!

[Willowwind]

I just polled my kids (ages 7, 12 & 14) and they say GO! They would feel worse not getting to go.

I've been the sick kid that went, and I've taken my kids sick. LoL... But then I also went 12 days after a c-section. I guess it depends how "hard core"
you are. Make some consessions in your schedule, you can move a little more slowly, take some extra naps. Unless it's really serious (or contagious) I would go for it.

[ElenitaB]

I only have one so it's a lot easier... however, keep in mind that if one of your kids develops something contagious, it's most likely that the others will get it.

I would hesitate taking my DS on the plane if he were sick (though you did say you were driving), as I wouldn't want him to get anyone else sick (I have a compromised immune system due to chemo and would not be pleased if someone flew with someone they knew were sick and then got me sick) and also would worry about my son's ears if he had one of sinus/ear infections. Even flying with a cold can be painful (I thought I would die from ear pain once landing in DC on a flight from San Diego).

The best thing is to consult with your pediatrician. I also tend to double up on all kinds of immunity-enhancers for around 3 weeks before we're scheduled for vacation and make sure that my DS gets more sleep than normal.

[homeschool mom]

We have never knowingly taken a sick child, but on our last trip, DH was sick for the whole week along with one DD for 3 days and another for a day. DH got sick on the way down ( we drive) and did MK with us when we got there, but was in the hotel the rest of the week.

On our trip in Dec. 2004, everyone seemed to be fine. We went to MVMCP, got our family photo done, and an hour later coming out of one of the shows DS (then almost 3) all over DH and himself. Fortunately, it was cool so I had packed extra clothes for everyone, including DH. I took DS in the ladies room and cleaned him all up and DH got cleaned up. We tried to party, but DS kept sleeping in his stroller and After about an hour of hoping he had just eaten something that didn't agree with him, DH took him back to the hotel leaving me with the other 4 kids. DS was fine the next morning and ready to go. However, that was only the beginning of a week from Hell! One by one we all got sick; just about every other day. It was a most memorable trip, but I hope we never have to repeat it again. I will say that housekeeping at Pop was wonderful to come and completely change bedding and clean up our messes on 2 occasions. The CM said they do it more than most people would think.

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

Our kids have not been sick before we left, thank goodness but, for some reason usually 2 out of the 3 end up with a horrendous coughs while we are there. Not enough to not go to the parks, just a wicked cough. I pack cold and cough medicine with us now.

All three of my kids have asthma so I don't know if something in the AC kicks it off or if its from the plane etc, I just know that it happens every trip. What a pain.

Fingers crossed you have a very healthy trip!!

[DVC2004]

In December my youngest got sick the day before we left. High fever mostly. Everything we had was non refundable, so not going was not an option. He was better the next day, and completely better the day after. Of course then I caught it but I handled it. Unfortunately, we've gotten sick many times at WDW during our trip. And I'm talking very sick- pneumonia once and bad stomach flu another time. Really, try not to worry about it. It's out of your control.

[iheartmickey]

DD always gets sick on our trips ... any trips not just WDW, because she does, I now pump her full of immune boosting stuff for the two weeks before we go and then through the trip.

We haven't had HER get sick on a trip since I began doing that. The adults on the other hand! LOL!

We went to WDW in 2004 for our honeymoon and I had a horrible head/chest cold. My ears are still not the same after flying down without taking any decogestant. I was taking cold medicine the whole time we were there. It didn't stop my fun ... just pemenantly damaged my left ear!

[Wolf]

Before we went in Oct I had been nursing a migrane for a few days prior (stress I believe) then the morning before, I fainted in the shower. When I mentioned it to mom she was ready to stay home but I was fine after and refused to mess up our trip. I toughed it out and got over it, I think the disney magic might have some healing powers to it!

[marlyn]

I have been 3 times now and all 3 times sonmeone was sick. The first time my son got sick on 1st day and had to go to ER at Celebration Hospital. He was put on antibiotics and we just dealt with it. We were there for 2 weeks and this was first day. So we took it easy for first couple of days until he felt better...then we carried on as usual.

Second trip...same thing. Second child became ill a few days in. Again, we just took it easy. We live very far away...would not be easy to just leave.

Third trip my son got ill 3 days beofre we were to leave. He was placed on antibiotics for ear infection and off we went. He was fine by the time we got there.

So I guess it depends. Kids can bounce back really quick from illness. They can seem dreadfully sick one day and then be running and playing the next.

[homeschool mom]

I now pump her full of immune boosting stuff for the two weeks before we go and then through the trip.

What kind of immune boosting "stuff" do you give her? I might be interested in trying it on my kids. I'm always concerned that one or all of my 5 will get sick after our past couple of experiences!

[Willowwind]

If you know anyone who sells melaluca products their immune booster is the BEST! It's either "Activate" or "ActivX" I can never recall the name, but it's awesome, and in pill form. The down side is that you can't just run to the drug store and pick some up.

There are several types of boosters that you drink out there like "Airborne". Any sort of increase in vitamin C is good for you, as is an echinacea supplement.

[Disneyatic]

Last year before our trip I was so worried about one of us getting sick that I started us all on vitamin C and lots of sleep about a month before! We tried the airborne but it was pretty hard to choke down so that didn't work. I really wish they would make it in a chewable instead of just the dissolveable one. I have also found a gummy vitamin that is vitamin C and echinacea that works great for my DD and tastes just like gummy bears! It got her through the first part of this year without getting sick when all of her classmates were dropping like flies! We will definitely keep that one up.

[mudpuppysmom]

DS and I usually start our Airborne regime about four days before we leave. In December when we went DS was on antibiotics for an ear infection -- he had two days left to take and we took the med on the plane with us and kept it in our fridge at the hotel. Had he just started the meds I would have thought twice about it, but he was on the downslide with the meds so we went.

Each morning when we got up I fixed us a "Sprite" as DS calls it and we drank that. Each afternoon we again had a "Sprite" and again before bed.....you are supposed to take it every 3-4 hours I believe.

Knock on wood here, but I have not been sick since before Thanksgiving......if I start to feel something coming on, I take a couple doses of Airborne and thus far it has worked for me. I'm guessing that one of these times I'm going to get something that that stuff can't combat, but for now I'm happy with it.

They also make it in pixie sticks now for kids!!! I bought these at Sams Club a few weeks ago, but DS does not like them!! He likes the tabs you dissolve in water better, so I'll be eating the pixie sticks instead. I was a skeptic, but now I'm a believer in Airborne.

[SandmanGStefani24]

I don't have any children, but I can act like one sometimes!

Anyway, I got really sick last trip during our weather delay at DFW. (probably a little stress involved there too) I was getting really bad cramps/pain and of course . I was in agony all night and didn't sleep because I was in such pain. However, I knew I was probably going to be fine in a day or two so there was no point to cancel. I was still not up to 100% the next day but we took it easy and I was fine the day after that. However, I would have felt way, WAY worse for a long time after if I had not gone at all!

[CleveSJM]

Just wanted to validate the "Airborne" (or CVS version AirShield, cheaper) approach. It's amazing when something works as advertised but this stuff really does for me. Just last night I was starting to cough, get a scratchy throat. Took one tablet this morning and I feel pretty good. It won't "kill" a cold but it makes it very bearable for me.

I also only take one a day and it works great. Any more it too much Vitamin C I think...