Traveling With Allergies: 9 Steps to Take Before Departure

Amazing vacation experiences are still possible when traveling with allergies!

Vacations are an amazing time where most people get to leave the everyday stresses of life behind and embark on a relaxing stress-free experience. However, living with allergies means that not only are you not able to leave behind the efforts related to avoiding allergens, but you also have to add extra precautions to your travels in order to assure you remain healthy and get to experience the vacation fully.

Waiting at the airport to board a flight after finding an amazing vacation deal!

Of course, everyone has different steps they take to prepare for traveling, especially if doing so with allergies. Below are some of my favorite not to be skipped steps.  
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• Minimize exposure in environment: While planning your trip, try to keep your allergies in mind. If you're allergic to dust mites, a hotel room with carpet may not be your best choice. If you're severely allergic to nuts then a trip to Thailand (where nuts find their ways in most meals) may be more stressful than to Japan (where sushi doesn't typically contain nuts!). The required modifications to your plans may not be worth it, but consider the pros and cons before making a final decision.  

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• Communicate with the resort and airline before traveling: Contact the airline with whom you're considering flying or the resort where you're considering booking to inquire about their ability to accommodate your specific dietary needs or environmental requirements. If you can get the information in writing, make sure to print it out and bring it with you. Contact any other relevant services, such as tours that you may consider reserving or theme parks you may want to visit. I would also highly recommend reading reviews and even perhaps posting on a forum (such as TripAdvisor) asking fellow travelers for feedback about dealing with the same airline or resort and allergies, as even if promises are made regarding accommodations, there's sadly no way to guarantee that what is said prior to travel will be what occurs upon arrival (that's a whole other topic though, so we will leave it at that for now).  

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• Always pack various sealed snack foods: If you find yourself in a situation where you can't find any safe food to eat, then you can at least enjoy a couple snacks to hold you off until you locate safe foods.  

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• Make sure you have valid travel insurance: In most countries, if you have a medical emergency and require medical attention, the bills will add up very quickly! A quick and easy way to ensure that you are covered is to look into travel insurance (whether through work health benefits or privately), and don't forget to bring the card or print outs  necessary in case you need to resort to it.  

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• Bring a doctor's note explaining allergies: This can be helpful if you go to an event or a park and need to bring in some of your own food. This is not always an option, but having a doctor's note is often very helpful in advocating for yourself!  

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• Bring a printout explanation of your allergies in the country's common language(s): One of the biggest challenges when traveling with allergies relates to communication and difficulty explaining what your specific allergies may be along with the importance of avoiding those allergens. Before leaving, obtain a translated note that includes an explanation of what allergy symptoms (especially if traveling to countries that don't quite recognize severe allergies) and exactly what it is you must avoid. To be safe, I've found myself bringing two translated versions in order to ensure that one translation is accurate, and ask someone who speaks English once at my destination to confirm the accuracy of the translation.  

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• Pack your medication: You probably don't want to find yourself experiencing an allergic reaction, trying to explain the situation to a pharmacist with whom you have no language in common! Don't get me wrong, I've seen interesting natural cures in my travels, but when you're experiencing an allergic reaction is perhaps not the time to test it out! To be safe, make sure to bring any and all medications you may need (which may include inhalers, antihistamines or epinephrine auto injectors). Don't forget to check the expiry date before packing them, make sure you and your traveling companion(s) know when and how to use them, and of course always try to have them nearby (such as in your carry on instead of checked luggage).            

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• Locate nearby hospitals: Doing a quick research, locating the nearest hospital to where you will be staying and printing out information on the location can help relieve some anxiety and significantly lower the overwhelming feeling should you experience a medical emergency as you will at least know where to go! (Of course, I would assume that if your accommodations have staff on site they should also be able to help direct you in the right direction.  

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•  Pack wet wipes and hand sanitizer: If your allergies can occur based on contact, bring wet wipes so you can clean any surfaces you will be in contact with (such as the plane's seat or table) in order to provide extra cleaning, in the hopes of reducing the risk of contact.  

  
Bottom line: Regardless of whichever steps you take, make sure to remember that it is your responsibility to ensure you stay healthy! Others (from doctors to airline employees) are there to help accommodate your needs as best as they can, so a polite smile and  an appreciative attitude can go a long way when making these requests.  

J&C


Have any other steps you take before leaving? Add them in the comments section below to help other travelers! 

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