Just when you thought that you knew how to manage your kids’ vomiting/diarrhea, researchers come up with a slew of new findings that turn your management “skills” into old wives’ tales. This is part one, Prevention, of a two-part series. Next posting: Treatment. 1. Most cases of vomiting and diarrhea in children are infectious. And [...]

Posted in Food & Water Precautions, Prevention Comments Off
Tags: airborn, alcohol-based sanitizers, bathroom, children, Diarrhea, diseases in stool, disinfected, flush toilet with seat down, hand washing, Infants, infected, kids, pathogens, poor hand washing techniques, potty chair, rubber gloves, sanitize, sinks, soap, stool, swimming, toilets, toothbrush, vomit, Vomiting

Cruise ships/Children/Intestinal diseases/Norovirus Should the frequent outbreaks of intestinal illnesses aboard cruise ships deter you from taking your family on a vacation at sea?  Our thoughts at the end of the article. (This is the second of a three-part series. Our previous posting: Children/Cruise ships/Health and safety. Our next posting: Intestinal diseases/Children/Treatment and preventing spread.) [...]

Posted in Destinations, Outdoor Recreation, Safe & Healthy Travel, Travel Comments Off
Tags: are cruises safe from norovirus, CDC, children, cruise, cruise ship, cruise ships norovirus, cruise with family, cruises with kids, family, Health, intestinal diseases, Intestinal illnesses, leafy greens norovirus, norovirus, norovirus cruise ship outbreak, norovirus lettuce, norovirus outbreak, norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships, shelffish norovirus, Vacation, viral infections

Do your kids a favor. Pry them away from their TV, video games, computers, and smart phones – forcefully, if necessary. Ignore their yelling and sarcasm. Then kick them out the door – literally, if need be. If they threaten to report you to child welfare services, inform them that merely being outdoors is the [...]

Posted in Outdoor Recreation, Sun Comments Off
Tags: AAP, archives of pediatric and adolescent medicine, children, children's dis-connect with the outdoors, exercise, good health, harvard health letter, how much television time should preschool children have, kids television, nature deficit syndrome, osteoporosis, outdoors, SAD, screen time, seasonal affective disorder, smart phones, sushine vitamin, tv watching, vitamin d, vitamin supplements, winter blues, winter sunlight

Are you familiar with the harmful effects that may result from medications you give your children? That when you give more than one medication, the two may interact and cause adverse reactions not caused by one alone? That travel-related factors can cause additional interactions? (This is Part 1, one of a two-part series. Watch for [...]

Posted in Prevention, Safe & Healthy Travel Comments Off
Tags: adverse effects of medication, antacids, blood test strips, children, children medications, children travel doctor, Dehydration, Diarrhea, dimenhydrinate, Dizziness, Dr. Karl Neumann, dramamine, exotic foods, insulin, Kids Travel Doc, kids travel doctor, medication, medication interactions, medications overseas, motion sickness, motion sickness-related nausea, over the counter medication for kids, Travel, travel-related, vitamins, Vomiting

There is an old saying that children always become ill at inopportune times. But are there opportune times?  Especially exasperating is when they choose family vacations for their illnesses. Worse, you then discover that your insurance policy does not reimburse you for medical expenses incurred away from home, provides no assistance in finding medical care, [...]

Posted in Safe & Healthy Travel Comments Off
Tags: Caribbean Island, child health care, children, co-pay, co-payment, copay, cruises, Destinations, domestic travel, family vacations, fever, healthy travel for kids, HMO, hospitalization, illness, in-network facility, insurance card, insurance coverage, kids health care, land excursions, medical bills, medical expenses, non-emergency visits, overseas, reimburse, scuba diving, skiing, Travel, travel plans, traveler's assistance insurance

Common sense, air conditioning and readily available drinking water have greatly reduced the incidence of heat-related illness in infants and children. But don’t let your vigil down. Cases do still occur, generally due to lack of forethought, and sometimes with horrific results. Here is what you must know: 1. The younger the child, the more [...]

Posted in Outdoor Recreation, Prevention, Safe & Healthy Travel, Sun Comments Off
Tags: acclimatization, air conditioning, air temperature, baby carriers, children, Dehydration, drinking water, fluids, healthy, heat index, heat-related illness, HI, hot weather, Infants, national weather service, obesity, perspiration, Prevention, relative humidity

Just when you thought that you knew all you had to know about children’s car safety seats, the experts come up with a slew of new recommendations, forcing you to rethink what you were sure that you already knew. 1. The new recommendations:  Children should ride in rear-facing safety seats until they are two years [...]

Posted in Outdoor Recreation, Prevention, Safe & Healthy Travel, Travel Comments Off
Tags: AAP, car accidents, car seats, children, front-facing car seats, infant car safety seats, kids car seats, kids travel doctor, nhtsa, parents, pediatrics, rear-facing safety seats, safe car seats

All children should learn to swim, and learn to do so at an early age. But there is no consensus as to the optimum age to start; guidelines vary from six months to four years. In addition, there are health issues to consider regarding placing infants in public pools.  Here is what you should know:  [...]

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Tags: AAP, babies, children, children swimming, chlorine, drowning, flotation devices, indoor pools, Infants, outdoor pools, public pools, swim, swimming lessons

Update on Children/Vacations* Unreasonable parental expectations and poor parental planning mar more family vacations than obstinate children. While traveling with kids will always have its ups and downs, savvy parents can keep the inevitable squabbles down to a manageable few. Here is what you should know: Your primary goal should be kids having fun. Family [...]

Posted in Destinations, Safe & Healthy Travel, Travel Comments Off
Tags: airport, behavioral issues, campers, children, Destinations, Dr. Karl Neumann, homesickness, hotel rooms, inclement weather, kids, Kids Travel Doc, kids travel doctor, motion sickness, museum, parents, ski resort, Toddlers, travel doctor, vacations

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 [...]

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Tags: Allergies, allergists, antibiotics, children, diagnosis, Dr. Karl Neumann, emergency numbers, health insurance, immunization records, Kids Travel Doc, medical issues, Medical kit, Medications, orthodontists, pediatricians, personalized first aid kit, reimbursement, smartphone, travel doctor, World Health Organization