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Food and water safety tips for travel with babies and young children
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Food to go: You'll have plenty of opportunities to grab a quick bite in Bangkok, but be careful. Especially when traveling with young children. Photo by Shelly Rivoli.
Hepatitis, Giardia, and Salmonella are not words that often headline travel brochures, but they are among just a few of the harmful microbes a tourist may experience first-hand if he doesn’t exercise some caution when eating and drinking far from home.
As the CDC and countless travelers advise, “Boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it!” especially when it comes to foods for your children. Babies and children, given their inexperienced digestive systems and immature immune systems, are far more susceptible to food- and water-borne illnesses than their parents. But the temptation of icy fruit drinks and treats can be a real and regular temptation you may have to confront in your travels, particularly when offered by well-meaning strangers. Trying to assuage a picky eater may make it even more tempting to okay the ring of pineapple or mango lassi that peaks her interest. For small children, this can be a dire mistake.
To find out if your destination is considered to have a high risk for food- or water-borne diseases, visit the CDC’s website at www.CDC.gov/travel. You can also see the drinking water safety rating for countries worldwide at the Safe Water for International Travelers website: www.safewateronline.com.
If you are traveling to an area where food and water safety is a real concern, be prepared to:
Wash and sterilize with care – Although the tap water in U.S. cities is now considered safe enough for washing infants’ bottles, it would be prudent to raise your standards when you travel. Especially if the water from the tap is not considered drinkable where you stay, do not use it untreated for washing bottles and nipples, nor sippy cups, reusable water bottles, and the like (air-drying does not necessarily kill the critters). The same care should be taken with any teething toys, pacifiers, or other items that go into your child’s mouth.
Avoid foods from street vendors – As friendly and generous as they may be, they often have little or no refrigeration available for the foods they prepare, and likely do not have a place to wash their hands with clean water and soap. Even if your child has no interest in these foods himself, you will also want to eliminate the risks of illness for yourself as his caregiver (it’s no vacation caring for a toddler while you battle Montezuma’s revenge).
Dine in restaurants frequented by many western travelers – They are more accustomed to satisfying Western stomachs and standards, and if they don’t, you would probably have heard about it. Restaurants in larger chain hotels are generally a safe bet, and ask for restaurant recommendations from other travelers, and/or hotel staff. You can also check online ahead of time or traveler recommendations on sites like www.tripadvisor.com.
Prepare some of your own meals – Even if you are staying in a room without a kitchen, your family can still enjoy some of the local produce brought home and washed carefully (use bottled or purified water if plain tap water if it isn’t safe for drinking). If you will be staying somewhere with cooking facilities, you may have better luck satisfying your child’s tastes and save money by cooking your own meals—not to mention you can make sure your foods are thoroughly washed and cooked. A trip to a local market and experimenting with local foods can also be a fun way to experience your destination.
For more tips and advice on traveling with babies and young children to remote regions, see the sections in Travels with Baby on “Going Farther Afield,” with important information on Vaccinations and Travel Shots for babies and breastfeeding mothers, Malaria Prevention for Young Children, and much more on Food and Water Safety.
Adapted from Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide for Planning Trips with Babies, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children. © 2007 Shelly Rivoli. All rights reserved.
For more info: Health and safety issues for travel destinations worldwide at www.CDC.gov/travel. Water safety information for travelers at www.safewateronline.com.
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