International Travel with small children

I wouldn't have a problem taking a basically healthy child to any foreign country, unless the State Department has warned Americans against travel there because of political instability or major health risks.That being said, I'd present the following "caveats":1. Make sure that the child does not drink his/her bath water or cup a hand under the sink tap to get a drink. In many non-Western countries, the water supply is contaminated and tap water should only be used for drinking if it has been at the boil for at least a minute. Boiling kills pathogens; failure to boil can cause nasty illnesses like Hepatitis A, typhoid, and so on. Many people traveling to Asian countries prefer to use bottled water for drinking, for making ice, and so on. It's generally safe if the seal on the bottle looks professionally done. The vast majority of gastrointestinal illnesses encountered overseas relate to drinking tap water or using ice made from tap water. Be aware that it's perfectly OK to bathe in tap water, as the pathogens causing disease affect only the GI tract.2. Consult a travel clinic about the shots that a child should have for travel to Southeast Asia, or at least, look at the CDC website for information. Depending on your child's age, he/she may already have had many of the shots; however, there may be others that the CDC recommends for any traveler to Southeast Asia, and still others may be recommended only if you will be outside of big cities, hiking or bicycling in rural areas, working on a farm, etc. 3. Aside from avoiding tap water, you should also eat and drink according to the CDC recommendations, and make sure your child does, also. As some examples:

[*]Do not eat raw fruits and veggies, unless they can be washed in boiled or bottled water and then peeled. As an example, bananas are fine; tomatoes are not, even in American fast food places. In many countries, fruits and veggies may be grown in soil fertilized with human feces, and the feces may be contaminated with nasty bugs. Well cooked veggies, such as those in soups or stews, are fine, as long cooking kills pathogens.
[*]Avoid eating raw or rare beef, pork, poultry, fish, and shellfish. Eat only well cooked foods, as cooking kills pathogens. Some people avoid seafood altogether, as many bodies of water from which seafood is taken are contaminated.
[*]Do not drink milk or eat dairy products unless they are made from pasteurized milk. If you have doubts, ask your guide to show you the symbol for pasteurized, and look for it on containers. In most cases, dairy products in big tourist hotels will be OK, but be sure to check, anywhere else.
[*]Do not eat food from outdoor food vendors; they are the source of much foodborne illness, In some cases, they receive less oversight of their hygiene; in others, they may lack facilities such as a place to wash hands between touching raw food and touching cooked food, or a way to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
[*]Avoid restaurants that have cooked food sitting out on a buffet for hours, without being over ice or a source of heat.
[*]Avoid consuming too much alcohol. Even if you eat and drink carefully, your GI tract will probably be a little stressed by jet lag, unusual foods, etc. Alcohol can irritate it further., to the point where you get stomachaches and diarrrhea and may think you have food poisoning. Also, drinking a little bit too much can impair your judgment and make you less aware of the pickpocket who is taking your wallet or passport, or the mugger who is in a deserted alley.
[*]Consult with your pediatrician about what medications and supplies you should carry with you. Think about both over--the-counter and prescription medicines your son has used in the last six months, and consider taking a supply with you..
[*]Get the type of travel insurance that will cover the cost of air evacuation to the U.S. or another country, if you or your child develops a serious illness or is in a bad accident, and nearby hospitals can't provide the necessary care. It should also cover you if, God forbid, you should pass away overseas; insurance can cover having someone you trust fly to be with your child, and to arrange for your body to be flown to the U.S. for a funeral..

For me it would depend on the country you are planning on visiting. For example I would go to Singapore. I have a brother who lives there and overall it is fairly safe but I would not visit Burma and the phillipins would greatly depend on what area of the country

I adopted my wonderful daughter from China when she was 18.5 months old. I found China to be a fascinating country, and I never felt unsafe there at any time. I traveled with a group of other adoptive families, and we had great guides, but many of us also took time to wander around without a guide. The people we met on the street, in restaurants, and so on all seemed to love children, and I, for one, never heard anyone express concern about the fact that Chinese babies were being adopted by foreigners; in fact, I often heard, "Lucky baby!" Our group's guides often had to tell people who said that that we felt that WE were the lucky ones, being given permission to adopt our beautiful children.That being said, besides food/drink safety, there are some issues to be aware of in China. First, the Chinese have a little different concept of personal space than we do. It is NOT unusual for a person in an area where Westerners are rarely seen to come over an touch the hair of someone who is a blonde or redhead. And even in Westernized areas, people who know that it's not OK to come and touch you will think it OK to come over and touch your child, try to pick him/her up, ask if they can take their child's picture with you and your child, and so on. These people are NOT trying to harm you or your child; it's just that they love children. Women with a little too much time on their hands may also tell you that you aren't dressing your baby warmly enough (even in the middle of Summer), or make other suggestions that cause Americans to call them the "clothing police". Again, these are not mean people; they want to be sure that your child won't get sick. Given that the "one child" policy and restrictions on age of marriage and childbearing affected many ordinary Chinese families, you can understand that there are a lot of women who have missed out on the opportunity to have a baby, or a child of one gender or the other; these women truly love kids and want to be around them.As in traveling within large cities in the U.S., use common sense when out and about. Don't flash wads of cash, as it can attract thieves. Don't give out your hotel room number or open your hotel room door if you don't check first that you know the person who is knocking. Don't go into deserted areas alone, even if someone tells you, "Follow me; there's a great shop there with just what you want." Keep tabs on your wallet, as many of the large cities have very skillful pickpockets. Almost more than your money, what many of the pickpockets want is your passport. They can sell U.S. passports to people who make a business of altering them and selling them for up to $10,000 to people desperate to enter the U.S. Hold your young child's hand everywhere, not because of kidnappers, but because the crowds on a Chinese street can be amazing, and it's easy for a parent and child to become separated; this could frighten your child. With an older child, give him/her identification in Chinese and English, so he/she can tell a policeman that he/she is an American citizen and is lost. Also give a child a cell phone that he/she can use to reach you if you become separated.SharonIf you don't speak Chinese, make sure that you have your hotel's name and address in Chinese characters, in case you get a little lost (with your child) and need to take a taxi back to your hotel. Most taxi drivers don't speak English. Hotel concierges can help you find restaurants with good reputations, get a taxi for you, or link you up with a tour.