I was reading an online article regarding adoption travel, and even though I am not doing an International Adoption, I found this to be a really great article.


The article is called "Travel Preparations Before Adopting A Child" by Sarah Springer, M.D., and it was in the April/May 2004 issue of Adoption Today.

Inside the article, there are many wonderful ideas of what to do, and what not to do while traveling abroad.

Take Sidebar #1 included in the article:

1. Don’t drink the water. This includes
ice cubes and brushing your teeth,
and don’t eat fruit or vegetables
unless they’ve been cooked or can
be peeled by you. Keep your mouth
closed in the shower.
2. Don’t eat raw meat, fish or shellfish.
3. Wash your hands frequently, either
with soap and water or with alcohol-
based hand wipes. Be especially
careful to wash hands after diaper
changes.
4. Keep all medications in their original
containers with labels, and have
an ample supply of any essential
prescription medications with you.
Keep some in your carry-on luggage,
and the rest in your checked
bags.
5. Keep your emergency contact information
with you, including how to
reach your child’s pediatrician.
Sidebar #1:
General Travel
Precautions

One point that some people might not have considered regarding international adoption that I cut and pasted here for you was:

"Most of the countries from which children are
adopted are plagued by a myriad of infectious
diseases that are uncommon in the United
States, so using common sense and good
general travel precautions are paramount."

The article also has a handy sidebar that includes items such as the children's dosages of Ibuprofen(r)and Tylenol(r), which may not be readily accessible for you in the country you're picking your child up in.

I did find that information would also be good for anyone adopting domestically, and even if you're doing interstate adoption through the social services system.

You'll know what information to pick out for those situations.

Anyway, I felt that this article was a good find, and I encourage you to read this article, as well as read up on some other resources regarding traveling internationally.

If you cannot find some other resources, then by all means ask your agency and they should be able to point you in the right path.

Until Tonight,
Storm