With a wide range of international schools to choose from and generally friendly living prices, Thailand is an excellent location to raise a family. 

Beyond that, healthcare costs in Thailand tend to be less expensive than those of other expat hubs in Asia such as Hong Kong or Singapore. However, when it comes to keeping children in good health in Thailand, costs can quickly rise, especially if you’re seeking to take the private healthcare road for your kids. Today, I’m going to highlight the main reasons why health insurance for kids is so important here in Thailand. 

Child's development must be monitored regularly

Monitoring a child’s growth and development is crucial for their health. 

Regular check-ups can not only prevent illnesses but also aid in the treatment of different body conditions like allergies, obesity, and even behavioral problems such as ADHD. Screening of children involves examination of all aspects of development, including social/emotional behavior, vision and hearing, motor skills and coordination, cognitive abilities, and language and speech. 

Since early detection and treatment can be crucial for a child's prognosis, all children should undergo developmental screenings as recommended by the pediatrician.

Children require numerous essential vaccinations

Vaccinations protect your child from deadly diseases and also keep other children safe by eliminating or significantly decreasing dangerous illnesses that used to spread from child to child. Following the vaccination schedule recommended by the Pediatric infectious diseases society of Thailand, children are highly advised to get the following vaccines:

Tuberculosis

Hepatitis B

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis

Polio

Mumps, Measles, and Rubella

Japanese encephalitis

Children require more frequent vaccinations than adults, so the costs can quickly stack up, especially when taking into account the more expensive types of inoculations like the Japanese encephalitis vaccine, or if administered in private clinics.

Kids are more inclined to developing illnesses

Kids tend to get sick quite often, not only because of frequent interactions with other children, but also because their immune system is still developing and not always able to handle infections. Even common ailments like ear infections could lead to permanent consequences like hearing loss, if not properly examined and treated due to the lack of health insurance. Other, widespread illnesses that children get sick for are as follows: 

Fever

Chickenpox

Bronchiolitis

Skin infections

Sore throat

Ear infection

Diarrhea

Vomiting

Croup

Food allergies

Measles

Rubella

Whooping cough

Children are more prone to injuries than adults

Beyond frequently getting sick, children, thanks to their natural curiosity and higher levels of bravery, also tend to get injured more often than adults do. As per the BabyCenter article, the most common childhood accidents are:

Burns

Poisoning

Drowning

Falls

Choking, strangulation, and suffocation

Cuts and scratches

Unfortunately, in most of these cases, your child would require emergency care, and without proper coverage, costs associated with treating such accidents in private hospitals can be very high. 

The benefits of insuring children

Besides the above-mentioned necessity of providing children with medical care, there are publications that show that children with insurance:  

Miss fewer days of school, and because of this, their parents miss fewer days of work;

Are more likely to be healthy, and healthy kids tend to do better in school;

Are more likely to receive medical care for small illnesses, ensuring that they don’t develop into something more serious.

 All that lead in effect to a brighter future for the children, communities they live in, overall better health in their adult lives. Hence, adding your children to your family health plan can offset all the costs of medical care your children may need, and also ensure their proper development and a great, healthy start into their lives! 

What can you do for your children?

Children should have health insurance secured to ensure that they receive the preventive care they require and are covered for medical care if they become sick or injured. However, finding the right family health plan, or individual health insurance for kids can be difficult. If you’re looking for the best coverage in Thailand, feel free to reach out to me or my team for a chat about your needs and budget, and we will be more than happy to assist you with the whole process.  You can email me at ajarn@pacificprime.co.th