Q We are taking our children, aged six and eight, to a coastal hotel in Gambia for a fortnight over Christmas. What do we need to know to protect them? We're concerned about everything from Yellow fever to crocodiles and venomous creatures.
Carol

Dr Jules Eden replies: Unfortunately, they are going to need a fair few shots and, as the doc's needle approaches, they may wish they were going to Disneyland. They must be up to date on tetanus, diphtheria, polio and typhoid, and they also need hepatitis A and yellow fever. So that's quite a collection of pre-travel meds to take. If you are going at Christmas then you have to start the courses soon, so contact your GP or a specialist travel clinic to ask what is the best combination to take them in as it may be too much to have them all in one go.

They will also need anti-malarial medication. The good news is that a junior version of Malarone has just been launched.

They are unlikely to be bitten by poisonous beasties. But use common sense to avoid potentially dangerous situations. Look where you are walking for snakes. And don't dangle your hands in the water on riverboat trips. It's croc bait.

Ask the flying doctor
If you have any questions you want to ask Dr Jules Eden, email travel.doctor@theguardian.com, or write to The Flying Doctor, The Guardian, 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER.

Dr Jules Eden created e-med.co.uk as an online support service for anyone who finds themselves a long way from a doctor's surgery. You can get free pre-travel information on any destination in the world. Log on and click on the Travel Clinic icon.