Recommendations for Parents Traveling with Small Children

1. Ensure children are healthy for travel: Discuss any pre-existing conditions or health issues with your pediatrician prior to traveling. If your child has been sick, or becomes sick at the time of departure, share your concerns with a gate agent so a proper assessment can be made prior to take off. Taking a preventative approach on the ground will avoid an in-flight emergency where options are limited.

2. Come prepared: The most common in-flight ailments for infants and children were gastrointestinal and respiratory related. Parents should travel with their own supply of common medications such as analgesics, antihistamines, and anti-emetics should they be needed in flight. Always keep these medications in your carry-on luggage, keeping in mind you will need travel size bottles for liquids to meet TSA guidelines.

3. Secure your child: Choosing the right seat is important. If you can afford it, you should purchase infants a seat rather than have them travel as a lap infant. The safest option is to have a child secured using an FAA approved child restraint system (CRS) at all times. Use the CRS beyond take-off and landing to avoid common injuries such as falling from a parent’s lap or into the aisle.

4. Avoid the aisles: If that extra seat isn’t an option, the next best choice is a window or middle seat – many in-flight injuries occurred when items fell from overhead bins; children fell into the aisle, collided with other passengers or the crew meal cart; or hot liquids were spilled being passed over other passengers. Keeping infants away from the aisle can reduce risks of common injuries as well as keep your little one more occupied.

5. Take turns keeping children occupied: If there is more than one adult traveling in your party, take turns staying vigilant to ensure the safety of the child while the other adult rests. The longer the flight, the more antsy the child will be; be sure to bring items to keep children occupied in the seat and again minimize the time that they are not using a CRS.

6. Practice safe sleeping: While it may seem obvious, the same safety risks that apply at home apply in the sky. Always practice safe infant sleeping wherever you are, as suffocation and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) related fatalities can occur anywhere. Be careful to ensure that your lap baby is not overdressed or overheating on the plane, allowing for good ventilation when sleeping on a parent.

7. Stay calm and ask for help: If you do have an emergency, stay calm and rest assured knowing that help is available. Ask the flight attendant for assistance as soon as you identify any health concerns. It is never too early for you to bring up a medical concern – in fact, the earlier it can be addressed the better. Airlines have protocols to help passengers when health incidents occur on board. The flight crew is trained in first aid and knows what to do to help in an emergency, often utilising remote medical assistance from emergency health care providers on the ground that can advise and assist.

Credit: International SOS is the world’s leading medical and travel Security Risk Services Company with more than 1,000 locations in 90 countries. They pioneer a range of preventive programs strengthened by in-country expertise and deliver unrivalled emergency assistance during critical illness, accident or civil unrest. www.internationalsos.com