Just a thought, we have an allergy/asthma kid ourselves and the number one thing that helps him do well when we travel is an allergy pillow cover. We're bringing one to our villa on STJ and also bring one to hotels whenever we travel. You just slip it over any pillow and zip it up! Our son is then assured of a good nights sleep and a good start toward a healthy next day. They are pretty cheap and can be found at Linens and Things or Bed Bath Beyond stores. Good luck and I'll be watching this post to see if any good advice that we too could use comes in!

I have severe environmental allergies and asthma and carry an epi-pen with me at all times due to my shellfish allergy. On my second trip to St. John I got a really awful sinus infection, and finding a doctor that was covered by my insurance was a little complicated. So I’d just make sure you have that figured out before you go…find a name and number for a doctor (or doctors) on your insurance plan…and STJ might not have one, but STT should.

For me, one of the biggest problems I have with my allergies when I go anywhere is reactions to dust mites. In my house, every mattress, pillow, box spring, etc has a dust mite-proof allergy cover on it. But when I go to hotels, or even other peoples homes, that isn’t the case. So I keep an extra allergy proof pillow cover to take with me when I’m not at home…don’t take one off your pillows at home though, once they’re on you’re never supposed to take them off.

Good luck 🙂

We have the pillow / mattress covers at home too, but I never thought of bringing one along! Glad I started this thread. And the get a lead on a doc under my ins. ahead of time makes sense. I have Blue Cross, if anyone can steer me to the right doc or clinic. Thnx!

Dr Audria Thomas is the allergist on St Thomas 340-776-5507. Dr Adam Shapiro is an ENT who also does allergy work 340-774-8881.

Thanks EE!

Hey Tamlyn63

We are coming with our flovent, albuterol and benadryl too! I am sorry to hear your child has such severe allergies! It must make things very difficult at times. I will say that I have been to St Thomas/St John twice before w/o kids (like 10 yrs ago) and never saw any of the mentioned critters. I am most worried about allergic reactions to things like bugs, critters and plants that we don't have in New Hampshire. The last time I was in St J (1997) I even walked through a "mini jungle" going from our rental house on Heart Bay to Heart Bay beach. I can remember the hermit crabs falling on my then 5 yr old niece's head!! I am wondering where you live and since you will be in the "tropics" I am wondering if you will have better luck with your child's allergies.

Good luck and have fun!

I'm in the Springfield, IL area, about 1 1/2 hrs north of St. Louis or 3hrs south of Chicago. Terrible humidity in summer and of course the spring pollen and fall harvests wreak havoc on the kids allergies. We never get to enjoy open windows weather, go straight from running heat in winter to running the air con when it gets warm. He seems to do pretty good whenever he's in Florida so I'm hoping that's the case in the VI.

I'm sure you are familiar with this site, but just in case, peanutallergy.com has a pretty good travel forum. Here's the link: http://www.peanutallergy.com/bbpage.htm

I don't have a child w/food allergies, but a good friend of mine does (all the same allergies as yours, actually!). She recommended that you look there. If you can't find anything specific, you can always post your questions there.

Food allergies weren't something that made me think until I saw her 5 year old break out where someone had given her a kiss on the cheek after having pesto sauce!

Scarey!

Good luck.

Thanks Richmond! I was not aware of this site and it has a lot of good info. Yeah the nut allergy CAN be scary, had more than my share of ER visits because of it. Pretty sad when an 11 year old reads the labels of stuff or ask about it before he'll it, but I guess that's a good thing. We even had a prob w/ him once at a restaurant that has peanuts to shell and eat even tho we had none at our table. Shows you can't be too careful. Thnx again!

Tamlyn- I just had to comment when I saw that you're from Springfield. I'm grew up in Bloomington and my family is still there and in other parts of central IL (unfortunately I'm currently living near Chicago). What a small world! 🙂

I'm from a farm family and got to know Springfield well by going to the state fair every summer.

We live in Northwestern Ohio (Toledo area) and visit St John every Spring. That trip is about the only time in the Spring when I breathe freely. I find I don't even need my allergy medication on St John. I think it all depends on what plants/pollens you're allergic to. I have problems when the trees and grass start coming back in the Spring and severe hay fever problems in the fall; but again, don't have those issues in St John because the plant life is different.

Lori

T Rae, LUUUUUUUV the state fair!

Lori F, That's very reassuring to hear, hope my son fares as well.

Thnx!

Tam

I understand your concern. I have severe airborne type allergies and asthma but luckily have no food allergies except to cashews. I did not have a bit of allergy problems in August on STJ. As a registered nurse though, and having two kids with asthma, I highly recommend bringing your nebulizer machine and nebulizer medication with you when you go. I doubt if you will ever use it, but it is reassuring to have at hand. Also, be sure and bring all of his medications, and maybe even a Breathe Right nasal strip for at night if that will help. I would also recommend bringing some Benadryl just in case the epi pen doesn't do the trick. Hope these suggestions help!

Sharon

thanks sharon! i'm glad to hear that it prob won/t be an issue, but i always bring the neb, the benadryl, etc., everyhwere we go. I think I'm more reassured having the walking pharm along than my son is, and he's the one who need s the stuff! Better to have it and not need it than to be w/out and do. We're acutally heading out day after tomorrow to do the Disney, Sea World, ETC, IN Orlando over Thanksgiving and I thnk it'll be fun, but can't wait to get back down to the VI. One funny story I have to tell tho: My parents have an apartment in a high rise on Marco Island, and when they brought my kids bikes back this past April, we found a lizaed (an Anole) who stowed away for the trip back. We've had him in an aquarioum since then and we will be returning him to his homeland in two days. My son is upset, but I told him we can't leave the lizard light on for 10 days while we're gone or we'll burn the house down and the lizard can't live for 10 days w/out it. So, we are taking him back to where he belongs. Thank God!!!! I don't mind reptiles, but I could do w/out one less thing on my agenda to have to deal with. Besides.........Free Willy!!!