Travelling with a child who has allergies or takes medicine: what to prepare
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For families with a child who has allergies or asthma or is on treatment, every trip needs extra preparation. It isn't just about not forgetting medicines: it's about being ready if something goes wrong far from home, with a doctor who doesn't know your child, sometimes in another language.
This article is about organisation. Before leaving, talk to your paediatrician or specialist: they'll tell you which medicines to bring, how much, how to store them and what to do in case of a reaction.
A month before: the doctor
A visit or call to the paediatrician before a major trip, to:
- confirm the treatment and quantities to bring, with a margin for delays
- get guidance on what to do in case of a reaction or worsening
- ask for a certificate or letter describing the condition and medicines, useful at airport security and for a foreign doctor
- consider any vaccinations or precautions for the destination
Medicines
- Always in hand luggage: a checked bag can be lost or delayed
- In the original packaging, with the leaflet, and the prescription to hand
- A double supply split between both parents, for essential medicines
- Storage: some medicines don't tolerate heat or need refrigerating; ask your pharmacist how to carry them
- Travel rules: some medicines are restricted in certain countries or need specific documentation; check first with your doctor and the destination's authorities
Health information on your phone
Away from home, a doctor needs to know quickly about allergies, current medicines and medical history. In KidBox's health section the child's summary health record — allergies, vaccinations, treatments, recent visits — opens on both parents' phones or can be shown to the doctor. Specialist reports and letters are in the encrypted documents, available without carrying a paper folder.
More in the family health record.
Food allergies while travelling
- A card in the local language explaining the allergy and foods to avoid, to show at restaurants
- Supplies of safe foods for the first days, especially for little ones
- Accommodation with a kitchen, where possible, to control at least some meals
- How to say "allergy", "hospital" and "emergency" in the local language
Healthcare abroad
- in EU countries, the European Health Insurance Card covers necessary treatment in public facilities
- outside the EU, consider travel insurance covering medical costs and repatriation
- note the country's emergency number (112 across the EU) and the address of the hospital nearest your accommodation
In the wallet, the children's health cards and the travel insurance policy sit next to the tickets.
The trip list
In the trip list shared between parents, health items have an owner: paediatrician visit, prescriptions, medicines and double supply, doctor's letter, translated allergy card, insurance. None should depend on who happens to remember.
In short
A check with the paediatrician a month before, medicines in hand luggage with prescriptions and a double supply, health record and reports on both parents' phones, an allergy card in the local language, health cover checked and emergency numbers noted. Preparation takes an extra hour. The trip, far less anxiety.
The tools this article talks about
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