When you go on holiday, you find yourself with a whole list of travel essentials you need to take and if you’re travelling abroad, especially to hotter climes for your summer holiday, well the list just keeps on going! For your ease we have a list of travel health essentials that you should make sure you have before you go.

Sunscreen – Very important for hot holidays and anywhere where your exposed to sunlight, you should make sure you have enough to last your holidays and that it is a high enough factor.; For children you should be putting on factor 50 and similarly as adults if you have fair skin, experts say factor 30 is suitable for most adults and anything lower should be avoided.

Sunglasses – Not just to finish off your holiday ensemble, sunglasses protect your eyes from the harmful UVA’s too  many cheap fashion pairs do not provide adequate protection for your eyes and should be avoided, look for pairs which have a at least 70% UVA protection, however 100% is best, especially for young eyes.

Medication – If you are on medication it is advisable to speak to your doctor before you go to make sure there isn’t anything you should be avoiding and also make sure if you’re visiting certain countries that your vaccinations are also up to date. You also need to make sure that you have enough medication with you, that you need, and a reminder for women who are on birth control pills make sure you take enough to last you and some spares if you lose any. It’s also advisable to make sure you pack basic drugs such as paracetamol, laxatives and diarrhoea tablets just in case.

First aid – It may not be first on your list for holiday essentials but a first aid kit is can come in handy, especially when you’re out and about, small scissors, bandages, antiseptic cream/wipes and plasters will probably be enough, even if you’re staying in a resort. Blisters anyone, from new sandals? Insect repellents and insect bite cream also will be useful especially if mosquito’s like to dine from you. 

For the airplane – If you’re travelling by air even just for a couple of hours you need to be aware of DVT, flight socks are an easy travel essential that can be packed into your hand luggage, ready for your flight and they can help prevent DVT and are a must on long haul. Also avoiding alcohol or anything that dehydrates you will also help.

For millions of people who suffer from allergies, the summer can be a miserable time of year however a new vaccine designed could be on our shelves within the next four years.
Over 10 million British people suffer from a number of allergies, including hay fever, asthma, eczema and reactions to cat fur and dust could benefit from a single vaccine that has been developed by Swiss researchers.

Experts say the jab would be the ‘holy grail’ of vaccines due to its ability to protect against multiple allergies, making it cost effective, easy to manufacture and administer. The scientists behind the pioneering vaccine from Cytos Biotechnology found that a course of the vaccine was almost as good as steroids at keeping asthma under control.

 In recent trials conducted 63 asthmatics were given a course of the dummy drug for two to three months, asthma attacks and symptoms were cut by a third, they also found that one injection a week, for six weeks, cut reactions to house dust mites, runny noses and weepy eyes, by nearly 39%. Experts believe the jab in future could also have the potential to help people with allergies to shellfish and peanuts.

The vaccine which is formed of synthetic DNA similar to those found in the bug that causes tuberculosis is known as CYT003-QbG10, it tricks the body into thinking it is under attack from a dangerous bug, prompting a multi-pronged response.

A spokesman for Allergy UK said: ‘It does sound a very promising treatment, giving hope for those with severe asthma or allergy symptoms for whom the usual treatments aren’t enough, but there is still a long way to go before it will be available.

If you’re worried about the dreaded MMR single vaccines, London then read on. We give you the low-down on MMR and the options you have for protecting your child.

The MMR is a vaccination that is intended to protect children from measles, mumps and rubella. Measles is a highly infectious virus that’s generally accompanied by a high-fever and a rash and can be spread really easily via a cough or a sneeze. Side-effects can be serious – ranging from fits and chest infections to seizures. In extreme cases the measles can be fatal.

Mumps is indicated by swollen glands in the neck and face and is usually paired with a significant fever that lasts for around a week, during which time your child will feel extremely unwell. It’s a very infectious virus that can result in meningitis, permanent deafness and encephalitis. Rubella is another name for German measles which is another relatively serious virus, noticeable by a fever, rash, sore throat and swollen glands. It’s very dangerous for pregnant women as it can seriously damage the hearing, sight, brain and heart of the foetus. In children, the virus can be mild and go unnoticed but it’s vital that children are immunised to protect pregnant women and their babies.

Historically, the MMR has been delivered in 2 separate (combined MMR) injections – the first at around 13 months and the second at around 4 years. But, with the negative press around the links between the MMR and autism, the idea of a single injection for each virus is very appealing to some parents. Triple MMR is thought to offer better protection to children as opposed to the MMR single vaccines. London doctors can offer single vaccines but do make sure you consider the options.

The MMR vaccine prevents the spread of Measles, Mumps and Rubella and is usually administered to children. There has been a recent debate where parents believe that the combined MMR vaccine that is widely used across the world can cause autism or bowel disease, but there has been no link found by any medical studies.

The government target for immunisation against measles, mumps and rubella is currently 95% for each age group, but recent figures shown that only 88% of children are being immunised, with that percentage dropping to around 80% for built-up cities like Glasgow and London.

Those parents who are worried about giving their children the combined MMR vaccine can choose to opt for the MMR single vaccine. These vaccines are given one at a time and it can take many months to immunise against all 3 diseases.

Those parents who opt for the single vaccines can contact an MMR single vaccines London specialist to talk through the procedure and book an appointment or alternatively they can look for a child doctor London clinic.

Few would argue that a child’s health is not one of the most important issues facing modern parents today, particularly if you live and work in London, as finding time for regular checkups and sick visits may be a stretch for your already jam-packed schedule. The doctor may be overbooked and overscheduled, too, so making the most of your time together is important. This being so, what are the best ways in which we can communicate our concerns and questions to our child’s doctor, importantly, how do we strengthen the relationship with the doctor who plays such an important role in your child’s health?

We all know that the days of the doctor calling in to see the child as a routine matter doing his house calls have virtually gone; doctors are pressured to see more patients in less time and to spend less time with each patient. With these pressures and with ever increasing complexities of the health care system it means that today’s parents have to take charge of their kids’ care. In the past, parents may have known far less about their child’s health, growth, and development. With this in mind many parents are turning to a child doctor London practice where they can talk to a qualified practitioner who specialises in children’s health; this can be an online consultation, by telephone, or by making an appointment at their London surgery.

If you are already planning on next year’s holiday, you need to be aware of the vaccines needed for foreign travel. A recent survey found that 56% of travelers did not know what medicine or injections were needed for certain destinations, while 31% did not know what they had already been vaccinated against.  Many people are also unaware that tetanus and hepatitis A vaccinations were recommended for travel to European destinations such as Slovenia and Bulgaria or that when travelling to destinations in Thailand such as Phuket and Koh Samui, there are various vaccinations required.

A lot of people also don’t realise the risks they are taking by not getting vaccinated, not only do you leave yourself unprotected against various illnesses like Diphtheria, tetanus and hepatitis A, which could result in a stay in hospital but also it could mean your travel insurance is invalid. Many people seem to be unaware that most of the jabs needed for foreign travel are free on the NHS, as well as information of what precautions you need to take and where, which is available on the NHS website.

injection

Picture courtesy of alvi2047

Although the Government does not offer single vaccinations to protect against the measles, mumps and rubella diseases, there are hundreds of parents of young children who prefer that their child be given single injections to protect them.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection that’s caused by a virus. It causes a total body skin rash and flu-like symptoms, including a fever, cough, and runny nose and although the vast majority of children recover quickly from measles with no lasting effects, a small number will experience complications which last into later life.

Mumps is one of the more common childhood illnesses, it is the disease with the longest incubation period and can take as long as three weeks from infection to outbreak, which can make it difficult to track down the source of infection. The virus is contagious for about two to three days before and up to seven to eight days after the disease breaks out.

Rubella, commonly referred to as German measles, is an infection that primarily affects the skin and lymph nodes; it can also pass through a pregnant woman’s bloodstream to infect her unborn child, with potentially devastating consequences for the developing foetus.

To prevent a child contracting these infections, vaccination is the answer, for those who prefer not to go down the MMR combined vaccine route, parents can access an MMR singles vaccine London clinic where the protection can be provided.