(Folklore says that infants traveled by air centuries ago and the flights were healthier than those today. Storks “delivered” infants. Storks had the wisdom to skim rooftops, eliminating concerns of high altitude and the accompanying ear issues, dehydration, and excessive stomach air. Each newborn was a sole passenger enjoying fresh rather than recirculated air, with […]
Is air travel safe for young children with bad colds and ear issues?
April 2, 2017 by
If a decade ago you’d asked your doctor if young children should fly with ear infections, nasal allergies or bad colds the likely answer was an emphatic no, that flying with these conditions could damage the ears. Today, if you asked, the likely answer is a conditional yes. 1. No studies exist to help make […]
Children/Airports/Safety
December 30, 2016 by
If a car seat containing an infant is placed “just for a moment” on a non-moving conveyor belt at an airport security machine the infant may pass through the machine. It has happened. How? Parent places car seat on the belt. Parent turns around to take off his/her shoes or to tend to another child. Belt […]
Children/Holiday Health and Safety
December 10, 2016 by
Season greetings! Tis the season to be jolly. However, the very events that make holiday seasons so special for kids – festive atmospheres, gifts, and visiting friends and family – also cause holiday-related illnesses and mishaps. Here are some tips to help you make the holidays healthier and safer. 1. Give your friends and relatives […]
Children/Travel/Immunizations
November 4, 2016 by
When planning family vacations, check that everyone is up-to-date on their vaccinations. Adults included. Travel increases the risk of catching a host of preventable diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis and whooping cough (pertussis), to name just a few. And you need not visit Equatorial Africa to become infected. Anyone not fully vaccinated can become infected […]
Travel/Breast-feeding
October 19, 2016 by
“I carry a light-weight blanket when I travel with my breast-fed infant. If someone seems bothered by my nursing – even though I do it discreetly – I offer them the blanket so they can cover their eyes.” (From a website on breast-feeding.) 1. No reason to curtail your travel plans because you breast-feed. Stories […]
Update: Family travel/Overseas/Motor vehicles
July 24, 2016 by
Well-planned family trips to other countries are “surprisingly” safe and healthy, say surveys by travel medicine professionals. If problems do occur, they are more likely to be due to accidents rather than illnesses – even though there is far more information available on keeping kids healthy than on preventing accidents. The leading category of accidents […]
Should Children Miss School to Visit Disney World?
June 26, 2016 by
Taking children out of school for family vacations is illegal in many (probably most) school districts in the US, Canada, Great Britain and Australia. Most school districts have specific policies regarding absences for reasons other than illness. Some districts allow a limited number of days (usually fewer than four) for such activities – if permission […]
Do infants’ safety seats on airplanes save lives?
January 16, 2016 by
The US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) strongly recommends that all infants and young children be seated in an appropriate safety seat (also referred to as a child restraint system or CRS) for air travel. But, to the dismay of many safety advocates, the FAA refuses to enact laws to mandate such seats, leaving the decision […]
Infants/Air travel/Excessive crying: An update.
December 13, 2015 by
Forget lousy food, airport delays, and turbulence. One of air travelers’ biggest nightmares is sitting near a cute, cuddly little baby that suddenly morphs into a nonstop noise machine emitting high decibel, ear-piercing, headache-producing, sleep-preventing terror. An even worse nightmare: it’s your child. But hold on! There may be a solution to the screaming infant […]
