Livingston, NJ --Traveling with children can be both a joy and a challenge. The Department of Pediatrics at Saint Barnabas Medical Center and The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has tips for the entire family whether on the road or in the air.
Traveling by Airplane
• Allow yourself and your family extra time to get through security.
• Talk to your children before coming to the airport about the security screening process. Let them know that their bags (backpack, dolls, etc.) will be put in the X-ray machine and will come out the other end and be returned to them.
• Discuss the fact that it's against the law to make threats such as; "I have a bomb in my bag." Threats made jokingly (even by a child) can result in the entire family being delayed and could result in fines.
• A child is best protected on an airplane when properly restrained in a car safety seat until the child weighs more than 40 lbs. and can use the aircraft seat belt.
• Although the FAA allows children under age 2 to be held on an adult's lap, the AAP recommends that families explore options to ensure that each child has his own seat. Discounted fares are often available. If it is not feasible for you to purchase a ticket for a small child, try to select a flight that has empty seats.
• In order to decrease ear pain during descent, encourage your infant to nurse or suck on a bottle. Older children can try chewing gum (4 years of age or older) or blowing up balloons (8 years of age or older).
• Air travel should be avoided within 2 weeks of an ear infection or ear surgery.
Traveling by Car
• Always use a car safety seat for infants and children under 40 pounds. Once your child is at least one year of age and at least 20 pounds, he can ride in a forward-facing car seat, but it is better to keep him rear-facing to the highest weight and/or height allowed by his car safety seat.
• A child who has outgrown her car safety seat with a harness should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle's seat belt fits properly (usually when the child is between 8 to 12 years of age).
• All children under 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicles.
• Set a good example by always wearing a seat belt.
• Children can easily become restless or irritable when on a long road trip. Try to keep them occupied by pointing out interesting sights along the way and by bringing soft, lightweight toys and favorite CDs for a sing-along.
• Plan to stop driving and give yourself and your child a break every two hours.
• Never leave your child alone in a car, even for a minute. Temperatures inside the car can reach deadly levels in minutes, and the child can die of heat stroke.
• In addition to a travelers' health kit, parents should carry safe water and snacks, child-safe hand wipes, diaper rash ointment, and a water- and insect-proof ground sheet for safe play outside.
For a referral to an attending Saint Barnabas pediatrician, please call
1-888-SBHS-123.
Date: July 11, 2006
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