On holiday and DS has impetigo

[Ginger1982]

So DH, DS and I have just arrived for our first holiday abroad and the slight rash DS had around his mouth has now gone into full blown all over impetigo. I actually don't know what to do. We're all inclusive but I know we shouldn't be eating really anywhere public or letting him into the pool. I just want to go home now. I can't believe this has happened the one week we go away on holiday.

Anyone have any suggestions what to do or how to cope?

Phone/msg your insurer? Find a local clinic?

Where are you?

Ok, this is easily sortable.

What country are you in? Are you insured? How long are you away for?

Your travel rep/hotel should be able to point you in the right direction of a doctor or pharmacist who should be able to give you some antibiotic cream. You need to apply that liberally, several times a day for 48 hours. After 48 hours of treatment you should be good to go about your holiday as normal (that’s usually when they’re allowed to go back to school).

Keep him out the pool but eating in public places should be fine. You can reduce the infection risk by you serving him food rather than him helping himself.

Yep, everything Asterado suggests.

Thanks. We're insured and in Malta. Seen doctor and been given antibiotics but he said DS would be infectious for about a week. Have told insurance company etc and we're not allowed to get back on a plane much as we want to.

Sorry, away for a week.

And it was just oral antibiotics we were given. Doctor said cream wouldn't help?

Not much advice apart from to not share towels with him because it is so infectious.

Well I guess advice differs from place to place and it’s also hard for us to give advice without seeing how severe the case is.

My own DD is actually prone to mild cases if she’s particularly tired and run down and a 2% antibiotic cream goes a long way to clearing it up within 24 hours. She’s never managed to pass it on either. With careful hand and general hygiene and infection control, I certainly wouldn’t say your holidays been ruined

My ds got on a plane in the UK with a slight sore on his knee and landed in Portugal with a raging smear of impetigo half way up his leg. Was hideous. We arrived at our Airbnb and asked the house owner where we could find a doctor. Helpfully, he revealed himself to be a paediatrian who prescribed antibiotics and collected then from the pharmacy for us. Bloody marvellous!

Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday OP.

Thanks everyone. Feeling a bit more positive. The hotel are letting us take our meals up to the room to avoid a tray charge so will do that for a couple of days and then hopefully things will be fine by Thursday.