Summer usually brings with it fun times as families go traveling, camping, swimming at the beach, or playing at home. Unfortunately, along with the fun can come sunburns, bug bites, scrapes and bruises, motion sickness or other digestive issues. Whether your family requires over-the-counter or prescription medications, ask your family pharmacist to help you create your own vacation emergency kit.

Handy to have at home

For kids who climb, bike, swim and explore, be prepared for the minor mishaps or injury at home with some basic first-aid supplies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a helpful list of things to include in a summer vacation emergency kit:

Supplies to prevent illness or injury

• Insect repellent containing DEET (30-50 percent) or picaridin (up to 15 percent)
• Sunscreen (preferably SPF 15 or greater) that has both UVA and UVB protection
• Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol
• Lubricating eye drops

First-aid supplies

• First aid quick reference card
• Basic first-aid items (bandages, gauze, ace bandage, antiseptic, tweezers, scissors, cotton-tipped applicators)
• Triple antibiotic ointment (Neosporin)
• Moleskin for blisters
• Aloe gel for sunburns
• Digital thermometer
• Oral rehydration solution packets

When traveling away from home

If you are traveling overnight away from home, by car, bus, train or plane, make a check list of things to pack in your vacation emergency kit. Consider your destination and whether you will have access to health items and supplies. Be sure to pack your family’s health insurance cards (either your regular plan or supplemental travel health insurance plan) and copies of claim forms. Many families now take a picture of their healthcare identification cards and store the image on each family member’s cell phone.

Before you go, make a list of your medications, medical conditions, vaccination history, allergies, and healthcare providers (pharmacists, physicians, specialists, etc.). You may want to pack a note on letterhead stationery from the prescribing physician for controlled substances or injectable medications. Or, you might leave a copy of your prescriptions at home with a friend or relative.

Take more than enough medicine for the entire trip. Pack your prescription medications in your carry-on luggage and leave medications in their original containers. Don’t mix medications into one container, even over-the-counter medications. Be sure medication vials have the:

• Name of Drug
• Directions
• Expiration date
• Safety information

Pharmacists can help you get an early refill on your medications by asking for a vacation override with your insurance company. You need to ask them a day or two in advance in case they have to call your physician or insurance company.

Include in your vacation emergency kit

Prescription medicines you usually take:

• If you have a severe allergy and epinephrine has been prescribed by your doctor, bring your Epinephrine auto-injector (for example, an EpiPen).

Special prescriptions for the trip:

• Medicines to prevent malaria, if needed
• Antibiotic prescribed by your doctor for self-treatment of moderate to severe diarrhea

Over-the-counter medicines:

• Antidiarrheal medication (for example, bismuth subsalicylate, loperamide)
• Antihistamine
• Decongestant, alone or in combination with antihistamine
• Anti-motion sickness medication
• Medicine for pain or fever (such as acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen)
• Mild laxative
• Cough suppressant/expectorant
• Cough drops
• Antacid
• Antibacterial ointments or creams
• 1 percent hydrocortisone cream

Other items that may be useful in certain circumstances:

• Mild sedative or other sleep aid
• Medicine to prevent altitude sickness
• Water purification tablets
• Commercial suture/syringe kits to be used by local health-care provider. (These items will also require a letter on letterhead stationery from the prescribing physician.)

Depending on your travel destination, consult your pharmacist regarding whether or not there is a need for vaccination. It is important to plan ahead as some vaccines must be given in a series over several weeks prior to departure. A final precaution for summer travel is to make sure you are up-to-date on regular vaccinations.
With a little preparation, your vacation is more likely to be a happy and healthy occasion.

Scott Pace, Pharm.D., J.D., is Chief Operating Officer of the Arkansas Pharmacists Association. He and his wife Anne, also a pharmacist, own Kavanaugh Pharmacy in the Heights. Scott and Anne have two children, Cameron, age 4 and Carter, age 3.