Anyone ever used the doctors on board for toddler?

[kimfrazee]

We are taking our kids on their firts cruise at the beginning of April. We are sailing on Carnival Cruise Lines. Last year when we booked this sounded like such a great trip, now as the trip gets closer I find myself getting more nervous about bringing them. I'm not so much worried about my 7 year old as we have friends going bringing their 7 year old too. You could put them two in white padded room and they would find something fun to do... LOL.

 

It's my 15 month old that I'm worried about. He's in daycare so a runny nose is nothing new to us. I'm going to bring the medicine cabinet with us so we should be fine in that department. I'm just worried that as soon as we get on the ship he is going to have some infection pop up. Do you know if the doctors on board have antibiotics in case this happens? Have any of you used the doctors on board for your toddler?

 

I'm such a nervous nelly and just want to find out as much information before we go.

 

Thanks in advance for any info!!

[6rugrats]

Yes, they will have antibiotics. Just be aware that if you seek treatment from the ship's doctor, you are going to have to pay upfront, and it's expensive. Did you purchase travel insurance?

 

I would schedule an appointment with the pediatrician right before you leave to get everything checked out, just in case.

[kimfrazee]

No I haven't purchased travel insurance. I will check with our travel agent to find out if we can still purchase this.

 

I am definitely bringing him to the doctor a few days before we leave.

 

Thanks for the info.

[lmg1230]

We had to visit the medical clinic on board the Emerald Princess in the Baltics with my daughter (she wasn't a toddler - just turned 6) who was having an allergic reaction. The clinic was well-equipped and much larger than I expected it to be and the staff was excellent. She had to have an injection of antihistamine and the doctor also prescribed an oral antihistamine for her to take for a couple of days. I wouldn't worry at all about whether the shipboard clinics are able to deal with common ailments but as was noted you do have to pay upfront for the treatment - we submitted the claim to our insurer and it was covered.

 

Lisa

[gaylemh]

My 2 year old grandson has asthma, and is on daily inhaled medication.

We will be bringing all his medications, and purchased insurance, but if he should have a flare up, is the medical facility on board able to handle something like this?

[cb at sea]

If your child ISN'T sick before the trip, try to AVOID the doctor's office...you'll be taking him into a germ factory! Right now is NORO time....and you don't want him definitely exposed to that...the Drs. office will be full of sick kids!

 

The ship's infirmary can handle routine things....bumps, bruises, cut, nausea, aches and pains and most infections. If something truly serious were to happen, you will be directed to a hospital on land.

[Marie51]

No I haven't purchased travel insurance. I will check with our travel agent to find out if we can still purchase this.

 

I am definitely bringing him to the doctor a few days before we leave.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

My grandson had to go to the ship doctor when he was 2. They gave him antibiotics and Robitussin. The bill came to $150 which went on our shipboard charge. When we got home we submitted a claim with the travel insurance and they reimbursed us in full. I had purchased insurance through http://www.insuremytrip.com because it was half the price of what the travel agent charged.

[frediver]

Nelly !

[Cafabi]

If your child ISN'T sick before the trip, try to AVOID the doctor's office...you'll be taking him into a germ factory! Right now is NORO time....and you don't want him definitely exposed to that...the Drs. office will be full of sick kids!

 

I could not agree more.

[kimfrazee]

Yeah, I may nix the idea of going to the doctor's office for a well visit before. I didn't think about everything he could catch just being there.

 

Thanks for the information.

[bean24]

My son had broncholitis at 10 months old on NCL Dawn. The dr had nebulizers and albuterol as well as antibiotics, he didn't improve so they then recommended we get off the ship and go to the ER, another reason we recommend passports & insurance.

 

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[Kerry's Girls]

My little Kerry has seen a number of ship doctors. Without exception they've been wonderful, set-up well and with all the meds she needed as a toddler/small child. The doctors see lots of kids, as well as all the crew and lots of adults who have numerous medical problems - they're pretty well equiped. The cost was actually less than I pay at the nice after-hours walk-in clinic near my home (which is $225 and not reimburseable).

 

Bring a thermometer. When mine had a fever, I was able to tell the night nurse what the temp was over the phone and she told me I could wait until office hours in the morning, thus saving an extra fee. If I hadn't had the thermometer, I'd have had to have a "cabin call".

 

Best,

Mia

[JennLuvs2Cruise]

DS had to visit the doctors on board on our last cruise. During the middle of our cruise, I noticed he was boiling hot in the middle of the night. I had a thermometer and his temperature was 104.5. I ran downstairs to Deck 0 and the doctor said he had a really bad ear infection. He prescribed us some amoxicillin to clear the infection up and gave us Tylenol and ibuprofen to rotate & bring down the temperature. He was better the next day thanks to the treatment and care we received.

 

We were charged about $200 since it was after hours, the doctor's time and medication. We have travel insurance so we were able to get reimbursed once we returned home.

 

 

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[parrotthead]

 

I would schedule an appointment with the pediatrician right before you leave to get everything checked out, just in case.

 

Unless your little one is prone to getting sick, I would not worry too much.

We are just off the Triumph with 'The Traveling GingerBaby on the Go' (8mos) . (does not go to Daycare--but does not live in a bubble either... he is used to traveling, we dont sit at home much)

Thats what I did... he has Never been for a sick visit to the doctor, never been sick, but did not want the first sick visit to be aborad... ;) so the week befor we left, I scheduled a 'check up' just to make sure his ears and everything was find... just a quick check, no big deal (of course) he was in tip top shape,

( we use homeopathic and organics as a first course) so I took with us Teeting Gel (clove based), Teething Tablets (Camomille based), (and some 'regular medicine')Infant Gas Drops, Baby Tylonol.

Glad we had the Teething stuff. and baby Tylonol.. he cut two teeth on Elegant night.. poor little dear.

But he had no other troubles....

Dont worry, you and baby will be fine..use common sense and have fun.

[rjm11]

We also used the ship's doctor for my son's ear infection... he was 3 at the time, and we went after dinner (around 7:00) when it became clear that there was more to his fussiness than usual. They had to page the Dr. because it was after hours... and he came in about 2 minutes (from literally the next room). Made the quick diagnosis, mixed up the pediatric dose of amoxicilin (which he double checked a bunch of times to make sure, and explained to us), and we were off. About $120, which I thought was totally reasonable. We also submitted it when we got home to our regular health care plan and were reimbursed. The whole experience was great- it made me feel much better about cruising with kids.... and the best part was that we were in and out in about 15 minutes total.

[kimfrazee]

Reading these posts makes me feel 100 times better!! And it doesn't seem like the prices are that unreasonable. Glad to know that it is there if need be.

[cruisinreunion]

my daughter who is 12 now bu we have traveled with her since she was a baby...because she has frequent infections/pneumonias, etc. our dr just gives us a presciption for antibiotic to bring with us, which we fill prior to leaving...you might want to check with your pediatrician ahead of your cruise to see if you can bring this as a precaution (especially if you are travelling by air, seems that always was worse for my kids)

[crusinmama06]

My youngest caught something onboard a Disney ship when she was 7 months old, started seizing, had to be intubated and then medivaced off the ship. But we spent 2 days in the ship's hospital before getting off the ship and I can tell you, they have it all. And yes it was EXPENSIVE.

[hockeyucf]

We used the medical center onboard the NCL Sun last year when my then 23 month old woke up in the middle of the night with a 105.1 fever. They were fantastic, let us use their shower area to bathe him in lukewarm water, and helped us get him to take some fever reducers.

 

We ALWAYS:

- buy trip insurance

- pack a mini-medical kit (thermometer, fever reducers, saline, nasal aspirator, etc.)

- try to avoid doctor's offices and other germy places the week before our cruise

 

Despite this, I still get terribly nervous about my boys getting sick when we cruise. :rolleyes:

[KristenFMR920]

My son had broncholitis at 10 months old on NCL Dawn. The dr had nebulizers and albuterol as well as antibiotics, he didn't improve so they then recommended we get off the ship and go to the ER, another reason we recommend passports & insurance.

 

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You poor thing, my son had bronchiolitis at 3 months old and we have been on nebulizers and inhalers ever since now he's 18 months so I am glad to hear they have experience with all of that onboard. Of course I will bring all of his breathing equipment but this makes me a little more comfortable