Is Carnival's Infirmary equipped to handle an allergic reaction?

[AJI2596]

We are sailing in June and our 1 yr old was just diagnosed with a peanut allergy. I am a nervous wreck. We have an epi pen and I called the cruise already but is the infirmary equipped to handle the after effects of an epi pen?

 

I was told that god forbid you have to use the epi pen, you must bring straight the the hospital.

[CoconutJD]

I would check with Carnival to be sure, but I would imagine that allergic reactions would be one of the more common issues a cruise ship infirmary sees.

[Frank12]

I would check with Carnival to be sure, but I would imagine that allergic reactions would be one of the more common issues a cruise ship infirmary sees.

I agree.

[Cruise Envy]

We had a medical issue onboard in 2011, and they had to take my husband down to the infirmary, where it took an hour or two to sort him out. It wasn't allergy related, but I was very impressed in how they handled him.

 

I will cross my fingers you don't have to find out, but I bet they will handle it fine.

[cruzn buckeye]

are they equipped to handle very high blood pressure spikes?

[kassimer1]

they really did not do well when my son fell and got a concussion and laceration on his head and needed stitches, and they never addressed his other wounds. They never splinted his arm and now he has intermittant numbness in his 2 fingers. They said they didnt even have any antibiotic cream. I know if i had been in the states i would have taken my son out of thier ER and drove him to one that was able to properly deal with a child trauma. It is a choice you have to make. you might want to get a list from you childs doctror of what should be done after the epi for the medical people to follow if it happens.

[jpaq]

Having toured the ship's infirmary , they are equipped to handle most anything. They have intensive care capabilities. Rest easy and enjoy your cruise !

[Lamar20]

Three years ago on the Miracle I was stung on the face while in Costa Maya. I am highly allergic to bee stings. We rushed back to the Ship,my face already swelling and went to the Infirmary. The Doctor immediately took me back and I received as good a care as any Emergency Room I have ever been to! The next day I was almost as good as new.

[Need-a-vacation]

I think it sounds like a good question for your doctor to ask what is the expected protocol if the epi pen is used. That's probably good to know even if you aren't traveling. I would assume the need for a follow up to the ER is to monitor airway, bp, heart rate, maybe get some steroids going, etc and address any issues. Or give additional epi if the pen wasn't enough.

 

Depending on how long ago you booked the cruise, you might want to consider some sort of travel insurance that would cover you being transferred back to the states if the infirmary decides they can't address the problem adequately and wants to discharge her to a local hospital in port.

 

Also poke around on the special needs board. I bet you'll find folks that have had to use their epi pen on board.

[BeagleOne]

I'd also ask what their capabilities are for handling serious issues in very young children.

[sjb.illinois]

A couple things:

One, I broke my toe on my last cruise (Carnival Breeze), and they were amazing.

Two, I'm a nurse and I work in a children's hospital, and I wouldn't hesitate to take my children to the infirmary on the ship. If anything is beyond their capabilities they would stabilize the patient and arrange for airlifting off. I was talking with the nurse who cared for me, and she had been involved in an airlift just days prior.

Third, absolutely have travel insurance. Search these boards for information (there is tons of great advice) and buy a policy before you go. If you have a medical emergency the last thing you want to be thinking about is how much it will cost (and it likely wouldn't be covered by your regular health insurance).

Finally, sort out these things ahead of time and do your worrying now (I'm a huge worrier so I get that) --- but then let it all go and relax for your cruise. You'll have a wonderful time!

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

[Smiling Cruiser]

Need -a-vacation is right. If someone needs their Epi-pen they will usually need another med to keep the reaction under control after the EPI (Epinephrine) wears off. That's the reason you go to the hospital. You want to be sure that the allergic reaction will remain under control and subside.

 

Make sure you discuss the upcoming vacation with your doctor so he can advise you if you need to carry more than one Epi-pen (a spare, so to speak. ) As need-a vacation states have him explain what happens with an allergic reaction so that you can feel comfortable and enjoy your vacation.

 

Happy and Healthy Sails to all.

[txmom11]

They have a ventilator on board. I looked on one of my nursing sites and sent a text to another ED (emergency department) RN that I know has done some PRN work on Holland America.

 

They have to have ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) and PALS (pediatric advanced life support). They also want the physician and RN to specialize in either critical care or emergency medicine (or nursing :rolleyes:).

 

They should be able to handle an allergic reaction, but for your own peace of mind, you should call the special needs and talk to them.

[cb at sea]

Yes...they are equipped for allergies, cuts, bruises, etc....they are not equipped for major problems, like strokes, heart issues, etc.. Or, pediatric issues, unless they are of the "playground" type of injury.

Edited May 2, 2014 by cb at sea

[Elaine5715]

They are set up for more adult allergic issues but an infant with a life threatening peanut allergies?.I doubt it.

[PurpleDog]

While I was on the Paradise in January 2014, I got a piece of pastrami seasoning stuck up between my gum and tooth. I tried floss and mouthwash and it just would not budge. I went to the infirmary and was told by the nurse that in order to see the doctor it would cost me $150 but that it would be a "waste of my money because we are not equipped to do anything dental related."

 

I was a bit surprised at that answer and at the nurses suggestion to "go and get some toothpicks from the dining room."

 

My brothers dentist ending up removing the debris after our return to Tampa.

[Not_Done_Living]

They said they didnt even have any antibiotic cream. .

 

And they shouldn't --

 

Just took a first aid class and they say you should never use antibiotic cream unless you are 100% certain the patient isn't allergic to antibiotics. -- you would make a bad situation worse -- the best method is to clean with water.

[ccruisequeen]

You should contact special needs. They might be able to tell you what you need to know.

 

[Boozebabe]

You would think so but from the horror stories I hear, I wouldn't trust them to put a band-aid on a blister.

[SadieN]

Not medical related but allergy related.

 

DD is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.

 

In the MDR (I'm assuming that your child will be eating off of your plate) a hostess will bring the next night's menu for you to choose. Order whatever you like.

The first night is always the toughest but plain food is always available.

 

Rarely are there nuts in the buffet. Usually there is a hostess there, if not ask to speak with the Lido chef. S/he will advise you what can safely be eaten. Be careful of cross contamination.

Lately I've seen posted signs at the buffet regarding nuts etc.

Also be careful of the cakes. Some have ground up nuts.

 

On the old menu the duck appetizer has peanuts as does the room service chocolate cake.

 

***

When you child goes to camp (at age two) there will be an allergy form to fill out. In all the years my girls went they were never served anything with nuts.

IIRC the youngest kids do not get fed in camp.

Edited May 2, 2014 by SadieN

[SeagoingMom]

We are sailing in June and our 1 yr old was just diagnosed with a peanut allergy. I am a nervous wreck. We have an epi pen and I called the cruise already but is the infirmary equipped to handle the after effects of an epi pen?

 

I was told that god forbid you have to use the epi pen, you must bring straight the the hospital.

I am a mother of five children and I cannot imagine in what universe it would be appropriate to ask for advice regarding what could be my child's life or death from a bunch of strangers on a message board!!!

 

If you do not know how to safeguard your child's health in this regard, call your doctor, call the cruise line and speak to someone who fully understands the medical care available, or have your doctor call the cruise line!!

 

My two cents.

[Dr Dave]

While I was on the Paradise in January 2014, I got a piece of pastrami seasoning stuck up between my gum and tooth. I tried floss and mouthwash and it just would not budge. I went to the infirmary and was told by the nurse that in order to see the doctor it would cost me $150 but that it would be a "waste of my money because we are not equipped to do anything dental related."

 

I was a bit surprised at that answer and at the nurses suggestion to "go and get some toothpicks from the dining room."

 

My brothers dentist ending up removing the debris after our return to Tampa.

 

As a dentist, I can tell you that most physicians have absolutely no knowledge of the mouth or it's associated structures. Trust me, this is far better advice than letting someone who isn't familiar with these structures go digging around where they shouldn't be.

 

I can not evaluate the emergency equipment on a Carnival ship (or any cruise ship, for that matter), as I have had no need to report to the ships infirmary on any cruise I've been on. However, since most of these ships have to traverse an ocean at some point (and therefore be away from close medical assistance, and since an inability to respond to a medical emergency would open the door to litigation... Which no major corporation would want), I would assume that they are properly equipped to deal with the most common medical emergencies. In this day and age, food allergies (such as peanut allergies) are fairly common. I have no doubt that the ship's medical personal would be prepared to deal with an emergency such as this, as well as any sequalae that may arise. There are many circumstances where I urge caution when dealing with foreign trained medical personal. An emergency situation such as an anaphylactic reaction (especially on a crusie ship with a large percentage of Americans as passengers) would not be one of them. If you would leave your child with a daycare/church group/family members, they should be fine on a cruise ship.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Dr Dave

[Kevin_Mac]

I can tell you first hand, they are absolutely equipped. A few years ago I went into anaphylactic shock due to a salmon allergy I had developed.

When I was found in my cabin my tongue was swollen (blocking my airway), I wasn't breathing and I was purple in color. One of my buddies who I was traveling with is a physician and said I was close to death. I was also bleeding from both knees and elbows as I had fallen in the bathroom when I lost conciousness.

I'm here and alive thanks to those folks. :)

[3dashers]

You have to do what you are comfortable with. That being said I travel with most of the meds I would need after I have a reaction. Perhaps having a bad of these meds would make you feel more comfortable. Your dr should be able to give you a list and an rx for anything you might need.

[GTO-Girl]

We are sailing in June and our 1 yr old was just diagnosed with a peanut allergy. I am a nervous wreck. We have an epi pen and I called the cruise already but is the infirmary equipped to handle the after effects of an epi pen?

 

I was told that god forbid you have to use the epi pen, you must bring straight the the hospital.

 

 

If I had a 1 yr old that was "just diagnosed" with a peanut allergy I would be too afraid to be away from my pediatrican until I could get this all sorted out.

 

Being out at sea with a baby going through an allergic reaction would send me over the edge.

 

But I tend to be a "nervous Nellie" about a lot of things.......:o