Ms. Richardson apparently had no symptoms immediately after the fall. She got up, smiled, and said she felt fine. She started to complain of a headache about an hour later and her condition deteriorated very rapidly thereafter. Likely, the fall ruptured a blood vessel in her brain, with the rupture gradually becoming larger and culminating […]
Children/Travel/Allergies/Asthma
March 16, 2009 by
Ideal vacation spots for families with respiratory allergies are the North and South Poles, mid ocean, and atop the higher peaks of the Himalayas, places where air is still relatively free of industrial pollutants, mites, molds, trees, grasses and other substances that make kids sneeze and wheeze. But if you cannot visit these places, you […]
Teenagers/Spring Break/Mexico/Health/Safety
March 1, 2009 by
1. Monitor the U.S. State Department advisories on violence. These are the most authoritative reports on the subject. Popular resorts that cater to foreigners appear to be safer than cities near the U.S. border. For the latest information, see: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3028.html 2. Update your vaccinations. Hepatitis A vaccine, for example, was recently added to […]
Addendum to Ten Tips: Infants/Children/Cold Weather/Outdoors
January 28, 2009 by
The 11th Tip: 11. This week, Pediatrics: the Journal of the Academy of Pediatrics reports a study showing that children aged 8 and 9 who are given time to exercise during the school day behave better and learn faster than children who do not exercise. Time taken away from classroom learning for exercising has a […]
Navigating airport security with children
December 18, 2008 by
If infants are accidentally left on conveyer belts at supermarket checkout counters, it is unlikely that they will be packed with the groceries. But if they’re placed on belts at airport security they pass through the machine. It has happened. The scenario: Parent places infant on non-moving belt. Parent distracted. Belt moves. Infant enters machine. […]
Children/travel/influenza/prevention
December 4, 2008 by
If you took our email quiz, all of the answers are TRUE. You need not go traveling to catch the flu – but it does help. Weekends visiting out-of-town relatives, skiing holidays, cruises, and air travel, for example, place your kids in close contact with people from different localities near and far. In flu season […]
Air travel/sedating infants/right or wrong?
November 16, 2008 by
To sedate or not to sedate infants for air travel, that is an oft-raised question. Is it truly nobler to spurn sedatives, risk an unruly child, and bravely suffer the heartaches of stares and scorn of outraged fellow passengers? Or is it more virtuous to sedate infants, perchance they’ll sleep, and endure the thousand humiliations […]
Children/Holiday Season/Staying healthy
November 11, 2008 by
Warning: holiday family get-togethers can be hazardous for your children’s health and safety. The same events that make the season fun and festive for kids – visiting family, lighting candles, and receiving toys, for example, can cause mishaps. Fortunately, most such problems are preventable – but only with forethought. Here is what you should know: […]
Toothbrushes/children/travel/diarrhea
October 25, 2008 by
Children old enough to brush their own teeth may be exposing themselves to diarrheal illnesses via their toothbrushes, especially when traveling in areas where such illnesses are common. Here is the theory: Children often place their toothbrushes on sink counter surfaces when finishing brushing, or in the middle of brushing if something more interesting catches […]
Dealing with Illnesses away from Home
May 13, 2008 by
Traveling with children is never all fun and games. Just like at home, prepare for mishaps and illnesses. 1. Make sure your children are healthy before leaving home. This helps minimize illnesses away from home. Are they due for routine checkups? Do they have minor illnesses which may worsen while traveling, stomach aches or upper […]
