Infants/air travel/feedings/dehydration

Date October 15, 2008

My posting that has received the most comments — comments often laced with skepticism — are my statements that:

In-flight dehydration is a myth; and
Feeding infants frequently during air travel is counterproductive and may make them uncomfortable.

Please see my answers to the skeptics.
In-flight dehydration is a myth!! It doesn’t exist. Yes, it is frequently repeated by […]

10 Tips for Families at Altitude: How Not to Feel Low When You Are Up High

Date June 11, 2008

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 […]

10 Tips for Obtaining Safe Water and Other Beverages When You Travel

Date May 1, 2008

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 […]

10 Tips for Healthy Air Travel for Infants

Date April 24, 2008

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 […]

10 Tips for Treating Travelers’ Diarrhea in Children

Date April 24, 2008

Savvy parents can manage most cases of intestinal diseases that occur away from home and recognize the rare case needing immediate medical attention.
Here’s how to be a savvy parent:
1. Do not treat intestinal illnesses with only clear or sugary liquids.
Vomiting and diarrhea eliminates vital nutrients from the body, mainly sodium and chloride (salt). Water, […]