Check your child's immunizations. The World Health Organization doesn’t recommend any special vaccinations for traveling in Europe. However, travel exposes children to a different population. The WHO recommends that all travelers be up to date on preventable communicable diseases. Some countries require an up-to-date immunization record. In addition, talk to your health insurance company. Some companies will cover children’s accidents or illnesses in Europe while others don’t. You might want to consider travel health insurance. Not only will it supplement any costs not covered by your insurance, it will also reimburse you for any missed travel connections or tickets so those Euro-Disney tickets can remain safe.
Sign up for the STEP or the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. This is a free service offered through the U.S. State Department. It keeps your travel information private. In the event of an emergency back home, the State Department has the ability to get in touch you. In addition, if a crisis erupts in the country you are visiting, the State Department will contact you with information and advise you how to get your family safely home.
Keep your child’s passport safe. Keep passports together and on one parent’s person at all times. There are special considerations when only one parent travels with a child. To reduce the risk of international child abduction, some countries require a signed note from the absent parent giving permission for international travel.
Go over the safety rules with your children. Ensure that each child knows what to do if she gets separated from the family for any reason. In each city, ensure that the child knows the address and phone number of the hotel and parent’s cell phone numbers. For children too young to speak or memorize the information, consider writing the information on the child’s arm in permanent marker or purchase temporary tattoos with the child’s full name and parent’s contact information. Check that your cell phone works in Europe so that the information is current.
Use the buddy system when exploring. Pair a child with a parent to ensure that each parent knows who to look for. When traveling with more children than parents match the children into pairs and make the adult responsible for a specific group. Switch children and parental groupings to give everyone a break.
Choose foods that are handled as little as possible. That quaint little bistro might not have the same cleanliness standards that you are used to. Dr. Stephen Dowshen of Kids Health encourages families to eat more pizza. The ingredients don’t spoil quickly and the temperature of the oven kills most bacteria and parasites.
