General Safety While Traveling

Keywords: safety, travel

By Stacy DeBroff

Write out the name and phone number of the person you are visiting or the hotel you are staying at and place it in your child’s coat pocket. —Lauri-Jo Kotzen, mom of Mike, 17, and Rob, 14

Whenever I travel, I call ahead to find out which local hospital is affiliated with a university medical school in town. I ask for a reference to a good private pediatrician in town to whom I can take my child. I also never leave home without Motrin, Tylenol, syrup of ipecac in case of accidental poisoning, and an Epi-pin for bee stings. —Bryan Bromley, mom of Ben, 8, Emma, 5, and Spencer, 1

One time when we had forgotten plug covers, I used band-aids as an imperfect but effective substitute over the exposed electrical outlets. —Amy, mom of Sacha, 8, and Libby, 6

If you are going to be in very crowded places:

• Agree where you will meet if you are separated and teach your child what to do if he becomes lost: approach someone in uniform or an older woman for help; stay in one spot, as long as it’s not secluded; and do not get into anybody’s car.

• Attach a helium balloon to your child’s wrist to help you keep track of him in a crowd.

• Dress your family in the same brightly colored shirts or hats.

• Put emergency contact information in a zippered pocket of your child’s coat or backpack in case you are separated. Include your child’s name, your name, address, home number, cell phone number, primary care doctor, health insurance, and nearest relative to call if you can’t be reached. Add contact information about where you can be reached while on vacation. You can write this on contact paper, and stick it inside the pocket or you can laminate it.

• Pack a recent picture of your child in case you become separated from him.

• Look up the number of the local poison control center, and if staying with family, put it in the phone book for future visits.

• Before leaving, check into your medical insurance provider’s policy on emergencies and travel coverage. Know your options to increase your chances of being reimbursed.

• Attach a helium balloon to your child’s wrist to help you keep track of him in a crowd.

• Dress your family in the same brightly colored shirt or hat.

• Pack a recent picture of your child in case you become separated from him.

• Get a cell phone or upgrade your long-distance service for your existing mobile phone to have better access on long car rides or when camping or hiking.

• Give your child a whistle to blow if you are separated. If you cannot impress upon your child not to blow it for fun, keep the whistle yourself and teach your child to listen for it if he is lost.

• If your child has allergies or medical needs, make sure he carries that information with him at all times, along with contact information for his physician.

• Ensure your child’s safety by reminding relatives to keep medications and cleaning products out of reach during family visits. You can even bring child-resistant locks with you to childproof bathrooms and kitchens.

Many hotels that cater to families will help you childproof your room. If not, here are some things you can bring with you, or ask about:

• Door knob cover for bathroom door

• Toilet lock

• Outlet covers, or tape to cover outlets in foreign countries

• Windows that lock

• No glass coffee tables, breakables, or hanging drapes

• Tie a ribbon around your hotel’s doorknob so your child will recognize it on his own as he races down the hallway looking for your room.

Stacy, heralded as a “parenting guru” by the Wall Street Journal, authored four best-selling parenting books (Simon & Schuster) and launched Mom Central, Inc. (www.MomCentral.com), a company devoted to providing savvy advice to simplify and enrich the lives of busy Moms and their families. Stacy appears as a regular parenting expert on national TV show, including NBC’s Today Show, CNN, The View, Tyra Banks Show, CBS’ Early Show, The Daily Buzz, Mike And Juliet, Fox & Friends, and the Rachael Ray Show. Stacy also serves as a corporate spokesperson, trendspotting for the media on behalf of over 30 national brands.

In the 1990’s, Stacy founded and ran as an attorney the Public Interest Office at Harvard Law School. Stacy lives with her husband, Ron, and happily engages in imperfect parenting of their two teens, Kyle and Brooks, in Boston, Massachusetts.