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 [...]

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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

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 [...]

Posted in Air Travel, Prevention, Safe & Healthy Travel, Travel Comments Off
Tags: Air Travel, airport, antibiotic, asia, breast pumps, children medication, codeine, doxycycline, families, hyperactivity, ill children, kids, Medications, nebulizers, overseas, pseudoephedrine

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 [...]

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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

For many people one of the biggest fear of flying is sitting next to a screaming child, says the New York Times,  “Please Refrain from Tantrums Aboard,” (November 14.) According to the article, some travelers are doing some fussing of their own. They’re calling for airlines to implement child-free flights, designate “family-only” sections, or provide [...]

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Tags: Air Travel, airlines, antihistamines, child-free flights, children, children flying, crying, ear pain, family only flights, flying, flying with kids, infant sleeping patterns, Infants, kids, why infants cry in flight

A frequent dose of sunshine is the right tonic to keep your kids hale and hearty if you reside where winters are long and the days short. Here is what you should know: 1. Sunlight helps minimize being sad and having SAD.  Sad (small letters) is having the “winter blues.”  SAD (capital letters) stands for [...]

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Tags: antidepressant medication, artificial light, children, counseling, cranky, depression, Dr. Karl Neumann, Forest Hills Pediatrics, Health, kids, Kids Travel Doc, kids travel doctor, mental health, pediatrician, SAD, safety, seasonal affective disorder, sunlight, winter blues

Backpacks here. Backpacks there. Backpacks practically everywhere. Kids of all ages wear them – and, increasingly, so do adults. Toddlers wear them for the sake of wearing them, often empty and sometimes in the shape of cartoon characters. Older kids use them for books and sporting equipment and when hiking and traveling. For high school [...]

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Tags: backpack etiquette, backpack kids, backpacks, body weight, bodyweight, children, heavy backpacks, kids, shoulder straps, sporting equipment, Toddlers, waist strap

Hi Readers. This is a first for our website, a posting by someone other than myself. This posting is by Chris Van Tilburg, MD, author of Introducing Your Kids to Outdoor Adventure (Stackpole, 2005).  The question I get most often regarding adventuring with kids is, is it safe?  When people read in magazines about my [...]

Posted in Outdoor Recreation, Safe & Healthy Travel No Comments »
Tags: adventuring, backpack, biking, breast-feed, camping, child-carry backpack, Chris Van Tilburg, Columbia River, exploring outdoors, Health, hiking, Infants, kids, nutrition, Oregon, safety, skiing, Vancouver Island, young children

To prevent children from being burned at cookouts, establish a “circle of safety” or a “forbidden zone” around cooking grills and campfires. Draw the line in the ground (literally, if possible) or delineate the area in some other way.  Even though such burns are preventable with reasonable precautions, each year more than 3,000 American children [...]

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Tags: barbecues, burns, campfire safety, campfires, campgrounds, children, circle of safety, coals, cooking grills, cookout-related burns, cookouts, grills, kids, kids campfire, Kids Travel Doc, kids travel doctor, marshmellows

Picnics/Food safety/Kids According to the dictionary, a “picnic” is a relaxed, pleasurable event, often family-oriented, at which meals are eaten outdoors, preferably in idyllic surroundings. The meaning of the phrase “It’s no picnic” is a non-pleasurable event. (Perhaps, referring to becoming ill from eating spoiled food at a picnic?)  According to the Centers for Disease [...]

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Tags: bacteria, food preparation, food safety, gastrointestnal illness, irradiated food, kids, kids health, kids travel, Kids Travel Doc, kids travel doctor, kidstraveldoc.com, non-refrigerated, picnic basket, picnics, safety

Choosing the most effective cold weather clothing for your kids is becoming more of a hassle – ironically, because such clothing is becoming more protective. Some garments, if not used correctly, are counterproductive, actually increasing a child’s risk of experiencing cold-related problems.    Here is what you should know:   1. Sophisticated clothing increases perspiration. [...]

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Tags: absorb moisture, cold air, cold weather. cold weather clothing, cold-induced coughs, cold-related problems, cold-water immersion, cotton, diaper, freezing point, garments, gloves, headwear, inner layer, insulation, kids, layers, loose-fitting, middle layer, mittens, moisture, muscular activity, outdoor activities, perspiration, polyester fabric, rain, rapid cooling, scarf, scarves, serious cold-related problems, skin, snow, snow suit, sweating, synthetic fibers, waterproof, waterproof mittens, wet clothing, wick, wind chill, wind chill factor, windchill, windchill factor, young children