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. […]

Posted in Safe & Healthy Travel, Travel 1 Comment »
Tags: Airplane, Altitude, Travel

Visiting Mexico City: 7,550 feet. Viewing the Grand Canyon: 8,000 feet. Skiing in Colorado: 8,000 feet (with some slopes going higher.) Driving up Pike’s Peak: 14,000 feet. At these elevations most children run circles around their huffing and puffing parents. But some children will show symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS), and a rare child […]

Posted in Outdoor Recreation No Comments »
Tags: Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), Altitude, Aspirin, Asthma, Coughs, Dehydration, Fatigue, Frostbite, Headache, Hypothermia, Ibuprofen (Advil Motrin), Infants, Intestinal illnesses, Loss of appetite, Nausea, Respiratory infections, Seizure disorders, Sleep, Sore throat, Sun exposure, Toddlers, Vomiting

When you travel, drinking lots of water helps you stay fit - as long as the water is fit to drink. Being well hydrated helps counteract some of the vagaries of travel: fatigue and jet lag, altitude, and hot and cold environments, to mention a few. Minimal dehydration occurs even before you feel thirsty, subtly […]

Posted in Food & Water Precautions No Comments »
Tags: Airplane, Altitude, Cruise ships, Dehydration, Diabetes, Fatigue, Heart problems, Immune problems, Intestinal illnesses, Jet lag, Kidney problems, Pregnant, Third world

There is nothing novel about infants traveling by air. They have been doing so since time immemorial, long before adults. Legend has it that they were “delivered” by storks, and were never the worse for their trips. Of course, stork flights skimmed rooftops, eliminating concerns of high altitude and accompanying ear issues, dehydration, and excessive […]

Posted in Travel No Comments »
Tags: Airplane, Allergies, Altitude, Dehydration, Diabetes, Ear infections, Immune problems, Infants, Intestinal illnesses, Newborns, Pregnant, Respiratory infections

A small, customized medical kit can be a real lifesaver when traveling with children. Never leave home without it.
1. Buy or assemble a first aid kit.
This is not the same as a medical kit. A first aid kit includes items to treat the inevitable minor illnesses and scrapes children get at home or away. […]

Posted in Safe & Healthy Travel 5 Comments »
Tags: Airplane, Altitude, Diarrhea, Ear infections, Epinephrine kits, First aid, Medications