Keeping Kids Healthy During Air Travel

During Vacation Peak Times, air traveling with kids can be a health concern. Knowing ahead of time what to do to prevent common ailments suffered by kids on airplanes can keep your vacation a happy one.

Some Common Air Travel Ailments:

Jet lag – this can occur due to experiencing different time zones and different light changes that can have an impact on your internal "body clock". The symptoms of having jet lag are:

Upset tummy

Not being able to sleep

And plain feeling tired

Tips on fighting jet lag:

Stay out of the sun for the first day when arriving at a destination that is further east than your starting point.

If you are traveling from the east towards someplace out west than it is best to go for a walk or some other simple exercise as soon as you can possibly do so, after arriving at your destination.

Altitude sickness – This can happen when you travel through air changes (barometric pressure with higher altitude climbs). You will experience drier air and a decrease in oxygen. Symptoms you may experience are:

Headache

Dehydration

You may feel a shortness of breath

Tips to avoid altitude sickness:

The only way to avoid this is to try to allow your body time to adjust to a different attitude gradually. If you are not able to adjust gradually, then there are medications that can be taken that may alleviate some of your discomfort. Medications like "acetazolamide", ask your physician or healthcare provider for suggestions while planning for your trip.

If possible carry bottled water on board the plane to offer children. Carry baby bottles of water to offer babies (also good to help ears during take-off and landing).

General Tips:

Make sure you have a carry-on bag that contains all medications that may be needed during the flight (ask pediatrician for advice on what to take). Remember such items as allergy medications, acetaminophen and diarrhea medication, inhalers and insulin and other diabetic supplies if you have a little one with any chronic diseases.

Do not rely on the airlines to provide food your kids will actually eat during flight. You can pack nutritious snack foods like finger foods and easy to handle foods for little fingers to manipulate while in air.

Bring comfort items like favorite blanket, books, stuffed animals that will help lessen stress. Children do not always respond well to changes or different activities from what they are familiar with and the excitement of doing something new like being on an airplane may leave quickly. Having a familiar object like a coloring book and crayons, or favorite doll to cuddle may help calm small nerves. Children who are stressed can develop stomach aches, headaches and diarrhea, so bringing along these little comfort items they can really save your vacation by making your kids more comfortable.

Journals can help you when you need to remember important information in a health emergency. You should start a journal before departing. Make a list of each family member's important health facts. This is actually good not only for air travel but for any type of traveling you do (business or pleasure) for adults and children.

Health Journal Tips:

Name of each family member with the following info under each name:

Their blood type (if known)

Any immunizations they have had and when

Their doctor's name, address and any contact phone numbers like office phone numbers and emergency numbers.

Health insurance name, policy numbers, and any contact info for provider as well as for you

List any health issues like diseases especially chronic ones and any complications, history of surgery that is associated with each one

List any current medications that are being taken either by prescription or over-the-counter

Pharmacy phone number for each prescription medication

A list of any medications that each family member is allergic to

Any food or insect allergies each member has

List any prescriptions for medical devices including glasses and contact lenses

Name, address and contact information for close relative for emergency contact

Make a second Journal of all foods each family member consumes while on the trip. This will be helpful if food poisoning becomes suspect. This can be just a simple pocket notebook or notes on your PDA or other technical device you use for electronic data keeping.

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