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 […]
Is Travel Safe During Pregnancy?
March 13, 2016 by
The uproar regarding pregnant women visiting Zika-infected countries bolsters the opinion that travel during pregnancy is never without some risk. The fetus, the littlest traveler of all, the hitchhiker, so to speak, seemingly safely and comfortably imbedded in the uterus, is susceptible to many travel-related conditions and illnesses. Travel further complicates pregnancy by removing women […]
Are leashes appropriate for children?
February 28, 2016 by
Some years ago a reader wrote “I place a leash on my toddler at airports and amusement parks. Strangers have complimented me for safeguarding my child and cursed me out for humiliating her… ” What did I think? Thinking back, my reaction to seeing kids on leashes was merely amusement, neither humane or humiliating. Does […]
Update: Zika virus/infants and children/travel
February 12, 2016 by
(Last week’s article is repeated at the end of this article. It may be helpful to read that article first.) February 11, 2016. To stay current with the latest on the Zika virus you’ll need to constantly process new and often conflicting reports peppered with words and phrases such as “possibly”, “apparently” and “the latest information […]
Zika virus/Infants and children/Travel to infected countries
February 2, 2016 by
Should families with infants and young children postpone travel to countries where the Zika virus is currently circulating? February 1, 2016. Travel with infants and young children to such areas appears to be safe. There are no restrictions. Presently both the US Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend restricting travel only […]
Winter Driving / Safety / Infants / Car Seats
January 3, 2016 by
Comments on our most recent article: Winter Driving/Safety/Infants/Car seats We have the greatest readers – and they keep us on our toes! Many are experts on various aspects of keeping kids healthy and safe for travel and outdoor activities, which is our focus. Within eight hours of posting our latest article, we heard from three […]
Driving/unruly children/accidents: an update
November 8, 2015 by
Crying infants and unruly children may be a greater distraction for a driver who is the only adult in a car than are texting or using a cell phone. Undisciplined and unrestrained pets also present problems. 1. Distraction of all kinds cause 80% of crashes and 65% of near-crashes. Distractions contribute to 16% of all […]
Proper hand drying helps prevent illness
October 24, 2015 by
If you’re weary of hassling your kids to wash their hands – alas, look forward to more weariness: getting them to dry their hands properly. While frequent and thorough hand washing is the most important measure to reduce transmission of disease-causing microorganisms among children (and adults), proper hand drying is almost as important, says the […]
Halloween/Children/Health and safety
October 17, 2015 by
For kids, Halloween means trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, carving pumpkins, and listening to scary stories. For pediatricians, Halloween means informing parents that pirate-type baggy costumes can catch fire if children come too close to jack-o’-lanterns lit with candles, that carving pumpkins is not child’s play, and that face paints may cause rashes. 1. Halloween is a […]
Young children/Air travel/Preventing colds/Maybe
September 1, 2015 by
Parents often ask what can they do to prevent young children from catching colds during air travel. While no one really knows if, indeed, flying increases the risk of catching colds, there is a safe technique that may decrease the risk (if it exists) and also make infants more comfortable: saline nose drops or sprays. […]
