December 3, 2020. Vaccinating your children against the COVID-19 virus will not take place “anytime soon,” says Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 1. The COVID-19 vaccine has yet to undergo trials in children. “Only after there is sufficient safety and efficacy information regarding COVID-19 vaccines in […]
Schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic: The facts
November 17, 2020 by
(November 18, 2020. Hi Reader: We’re devoting this edition of KidsTravelDoc to help you cope with an important aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic: elementary schooling. Hopefully, we’ll soon return to our main – and more pleasurable – topic: helping you to keep families healthy, safe, and comfortable for travel and fresh air activities. ) 1. […]
Keeping the “amusement” in children’s amusement park rides
November 3, 2020 by
Family visits to amusement parks, fairs, and carnivals sometimes include an unanticipated ride – to an ER. In the US, ERs see about 25,000 such visitors yearly, with young children accounting for more than a quarter of them. About one percent of these kids require hospitalization. Moreover, space-age rollercoasters injuries may have serious after-effects. 1. […]
Preparing your children for becoming lost
October 15, 2020 by
Chances are, it will happen – possibly at a mall, airport, “amusement” park, or during an outdoor excursion. While virtually always you and your child will be reunited, usually in a matter of minutes, being lost is an extremely frightening experience for all involved, remembered for a lifetime. 1. Prepare children for what to do […]
Getting kids to walk and hike: A primer
September 30, 2020 by
Hey parents. While you already know that family walks and hikes make your family healthier and help build closer relationships, do you know how far, how fast, and for how long you can expect kids at various ages to go – without choruses of “I’m tired” or “This is boring”? And how to motivate them […]
Warning: Driving with an unruly child in your car is hazardous
August 20, 2020 by
Unruly children may be a greater distraction for a driver who is the only adult in a car than is texting or using a cell phone. Ditto for screaming infants. Undisciplined and unrestrained pets also present safety issues. 1. Distractions – not necessarily involving children – cause almost 80% of crashes. Children are four times […]
“Mom – I think I’m gonna throw up!”
August 2, 2020 by
Motion sickness/ Children/ Prevention/ Treatment – An Update If no one in your family has ever been motion-sick, it’s only because they haven’t yet encountered the right (or is it the wrong?) situation. It may be a storm at sea, an “amusement” park roller coaster that spins in three dimensions simultaneously while you are strapped […]
At what age can your child be left home alone?
June 28, 2020 by
A timely issue.The coronavirus pandemic has closed most organized children’s activities for this summer. Concurrently, many parents are resuming work schedules away from home. 1. An unforeseen event should never be the reason for a child’ first time home alone. Often it is. Advanced planning and correctly judging your child’s age-appropriate maturity should be the […]
Why the rush to teach infants how to swim?
June 19, 2020 by
1. Infants don’t have to know how to swim to go swimming. Blame the English language for the confusion. “Swimming” also means “bathing in a body of water.” Do place infants in water soon after birth, if you wish, to acquaint them with it and help them to overcome fears, if any. Start with sprinkling […]
Sunglasses for young children: there is a lot for you to know
May 25, 2020 by
Consider making your next baby gift a pair of sunglasses – a gift that is thoughtful, unique, practical, a gentle reminder for new parents to start sun protection early, and, hopefully, a trendsetter that others will follow. 1. Infants’ eyes absorb more harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays than adults. Infants have relatively large pupils, allowing more […]
