"Road Trip USA with babies in tow: Rotavirus" North America Warnings Or Dangers Tip by jumpingnorman

We have twins and we have been travelling with them since they were six weeks old (when we took them on a 2000 mile road trip through 4 states). The USA is very child-friendly because the freeways have rest areas and stops everywhere, with all the essentials easily bought. The only problem with kids less than one year is if they catch a nasty gastrointestinal virus (like my daughter did when we brought them to New Orleans for the Mardi Gras before Katrina). My daughter got the nasty Rotavirus, but my son did not. I don't think she got it from the plane ride - she most likely got it from our friend's kid whom we later learned had rotavirus about 2 weeks before (we drove to Texas from New Orleans). She had frequent watery diarrhea, so we brought her immediately to the hospital where IV hydration was started (I poked my daughter myself with the needle to get the IV since I am a physician and her veins were already collapsed from dehydration) and she was admitted for a day. With these young kids, bring to hospital when you see frequent diarrhea as dehydration happens very quickly. And although difficult, it may be prudent to avoid having frequent contacts with other kids who may appear sick or just got sick.

And not to scare you, but here are the facts: "Google Rotavirus: On Wikipedia"---- More than 500,000 children under five years of age die from rotavirus infection each year,and almost two million more become severely ill.In the United States, rotavirus causes about 2.7 million cases of severe gastroenteritis in children, almost 60,000 hospitalisations, and around 37 deaths each year. Public health campaigns to combat rotavirus focus on providing oral rehydration therapy for infected children and vaccination to prevent the disease. By the age of five, nearly every child in the world has been infected with rotavirus at least once. However, with each infection, immunity develops, subsequent infections are less severe,and adults are rarely affected.

Hotels and restaurants are generally "ready" for small kids, with baby chairs available and cribs available sometimes. There are "family rooms" in malls, and most restrooms in respectable establishments have diaper changing areas. Discreet breastfeeding is socially acceptable.