Safety alert! When traveling, many parents put their infants to bed in unsafe positions or locations, increasing the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and other injuries. 1. Safe sleeping arrangements are often difficult to duplicate away from home. Until infants are one year of age they should be put to bed on their […]
Appropriate drinks for active children
Sports drinks. Energy drinks. Electrolyte solutions. Carbonated drinks. Milk. What is healthy, what is not? Young children and adolescents participating in non-competitive play do not benefit from the wide variety of beverages that are heavily marketed as means to prevent dehydration and improve performance. In fact, some of these beverages are counterproductive at times. Yes, […]
Leaving Children at Home Alone
Should parents take vacations with their kids – or from their kids? Family vacations expose kids to new experiences, strengthens family unity and build memories for the future. But for many parents, family vacations are stressful and expensive obligations, not the relaxing and refreshing breaks from everyday routine that vacations are supposed to be. In […]
Families/Overseas travel/Medications Part 2 of 2
This is Part 2 of a two part series. To read Part 1, please click here. You need not be under suspicion of possessing narcotics to be hassled by security and customs inspectors at airports. Families have been hassled for merely carrying everyday, over-the-counter medications, have had the medications confiscated, missed their flights and, very […]
The Modern Medical Kit for Family Travel
The Modern Medical Kit for Family Travel A small, customized medical kit can be a real lifesaver when traveling with children. Never leave home without one. 1. Technology is the new first aid. Cell phones enable you to consult with all your child’s health care providers – pediatricians, orthodontists and allergists, for example. (Surprise! they […]
Teenagers Going to Mexico for Spring Break
Tens of thousands of American teenagers travel to resorts throughout Mexico over Spring Break each year, says the U.S. State Department. While the vast majority enjoys their vacation without incident, several may die, hundreds will be arrested, and still more will make mistakes that could affect them for the rest of their lives. Here are […]
Staying Healthy At Sea
A vacation at sea offers families the best of all worlds: seeing foreign countries without the hassle of constant packing; supervised age-appropriate activities, lots of other children and, should you need it, “in-house” medical facilities. Here’s what you have to know: 1. Bring your children’s medications: A leading reason for passengers visiting ships’ infirmaries is […]
Preventing Malaria
10 Tips For Preventing Malaria Every year thousands of travelers, including many children, return from the tropics with a souvenir they did not bargain for: malaria, a disease that can almost always be prevented. Here is what you have to know: 1. Understand malaria. The disease is caused by a microscopic parasite that is transmitted […]
Motion Sickness
If you’ve never been seasick it’s only because you haven’t encountered the right storm, say veteran sailors. Worse than being seasick yourself is dealing with children who are, say parents. 1. Call it motion sickness, not seasickness. The ancient Geeks named it. The word “nausea” is the Greek word for “sea.” But motion sickness also […]
Traveling and Living Overseas
Children make great travelers. They are inquisitive, fun and, when motivated, adaptable and inexhaustible. Time spent overseas, whether a week in Paris or a year in a developing country, helps enrich their education, builds self-confidence, promotes family cohesiveness, and creates memories for tomorrow. But before you go, consider these issues: 1.Examine your motives. Occasionally parents […]