Travel, Vacations, and Daily Routines

Epilepsy does not stop you from traveling as a family, going on vacation, or getting on with the flow of daily life. A little planning ahead is all it takes to set out with peace of mind.

Preparing Before You Travel

• Carry enough medication with you (in your carry-on bag). A suitcase can get lost; the medication never should. Take a few days' more than the length of your trip.
• Carry medications in their original boxes and keep a prescription or doctor's report with you; especially when traveling abroad, this makes things easier at border crossings.
• For long flights that cross time zones, ask your doctor ahead of time how to adjust the medication times.
• Find out the nearest health facility and emergency numbers at your destination.
• Take any rescue medication and your written emergency action plan with you.

Air Travel

Traveling by plane is generally safe for children with epilepsy. It's just that flights often disrupt sleep schedules and cause tiredness, which can be a trigger in some children. Make sure your child gets enough sleep before and after the flight, and don't miss medication times.

The Power of a Daily Routine

In managing epilepsy, a regular daily routine (consistency in sleep, meal, and medication times) is your greatest ally. A routine both reduces seizure triggers and makes it easier to stick with medication. Even on vacations and special days, try to keep the medication and sleep schedule as much as you can. A routine also gives a child a sense of safety and predictability.

A Short Travel Bag Checklist

Enough medication (+ a few days' extra) · Original boxes · Prescription/report · Rescue medication · Written emergency action plan · Emergency contact numbers · (If needed) seizure diary.

Put this list together once and keep it; you can use it again and again for every trip.