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HAZARDS THAT MAYBE ENCOUNTERED WHILST TRAVELLINGI am always on the look out for interesting and informative content to feature in Hints and Things and, as I am solely responsible for maintaining and developing the site, I am always grateful for co-operation from other sites. This is no exception as the following material was originally provided by www.travellingwithchildren.co.uk but this site appears to have changed ownership as is no longer relevant to this subject. This Section deals with a selection of exotic and rare environmental hazards, but it is important to keep in mind that the biggest hazard to the whole family is an accident.Some of the circumstances we experience while away from home bring particular hazards to our family. We are not only going to eat food which may have been prepared in less than hygienic conditions no matter what star rating the restaurant has, and share toilet facilities with complete strangers, but expose ourselves to unusual weather conditions and come into contact with native insects. Most of us have experienced trips made gruesome because of motion sickness, or have spent hours in the local clinic waiting to be seen. When we travel to foreign lands we come into contact with bacteria and viruses against which we have no genetic immunological defence. Not only that, but we sleep and wash where strangers slept and washed the night before, and when some of the bacteria and viruses people carry with them are so dangerous, why take any chances picking them up. Bathroom Bugs Even if your toilet facilities look clean, that doesn't mean they have been disinfected. It doesn't take a minute to wipe the toilet seat- under as well as on top - with a tissue that has a neat drop of essential oil of thyme on it. Remember too the toilet chain and doorknob. Also it never hurts to wipe around the taps, basin and bath with an essential oil tissue. Do it every day it's worth the little bit of effort. Bedroom life-forms Every bed in the world is teeming with minute life forms that live off the dead skin we are constantly shedding, and mattresses soak up whatever fluids are put on them. This makes them a particularly hazardous area. As a precautionary measure, especially for your children, pull the bedclothes back and wipe the mattress with a tissue on which you have put a few drops of thyme, lavender and lemongrass essential oils. Cuts and GrazesChildren are always grazing their knees and elbows but in hot steamy climates you must take special care to avoid wounds getting infected. If your child is going through a phase of falling over all the time, consider clothes that will protect the knees and elbows. Any wound or break in the skin surface needs to be cleaned and then kept clean and dry. During the cleaning process, check and remove any muck or gravel. If you have antiseptic, dab this on.If you are in an area with lots of flies or if the child is likely to investigate the wound with his fingers, cover with a sticking-plaster. Plasters and dressings are not necessary in the vast majority of cases; sometimes, of course, they help the child feel brave, although removal can be uncomfortable too. If the child has not received the course of three DPT injections (usually given in the first six months of life) tetanus is a risk. An unimmunised child with a deep dirty wound should have an injection of tetanus immonoglobulin as soon as possible, but anyway within four days of the injury. Tetanus immonoglobulin is different from the childhood tetanus immunisation. If the wound becomes infected it will look red and angry, and will throb and become more uncomfortable. Scrupulous cleaning followed by dabbing with a drying antiseptic solution (dilute iodine or potassium permanganate) each time you change the plaster or dressing will stop the infection before it gets hold. These measures work best if the graze is small and the infection limited to a minor area of redness around the actual wound. An infected wound will probably require a course of antibiotics by mouth so you should consult a doctor unless you feel confident you can deal with the situation yourself. If the infection does not start to improve dramatically within 36 hours the wound needs to be reassessed by a doctor
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