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 Similar to travel in motor vehicles, a child is best protected on an airplane when properly restrained in a car safety seat appropriate for the age, weight and height of the child. When she weighs 40 pounds, a child can use the aircraft seat belt. You can also consider using a restraint made only for use on airplanes and approved by the FAA. Belt-positioning booster seats cannot be used on airplanes, but they can be checked as luggage so you have them for use in rental cars and taxis. 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 may be available. If it is not feasible to purchase a ticket for a small child, try to select a flight that is likely to have empty seats. 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). Consult your pediatrician before flying with a newborn or infant who has chronic heart or lung problems or with upper or lower respiratory symptoms. Consult your pediatrician if flying within two weeks of an ear infection or ear surgery. Travel tips: Plane Playtime 1. Keep a few of the small gifts your child receives during the year for a travel time surprise. They must be unwrapped so they will pass a through security. 2. Bring your child’s favorite cartoon characters along for the ride with a portable DVD player. inmotionpictures.com 3. Turn an air sickness bag into a colorful hand puppet. 4. Portable Playtime can hold over 20 toys, snacks and games. portableplaytime.com 5. Play a game of I Spy with the in-flight magazine. 6. Teach your child about the airplane and its colorful buttons, seatbelts and straps. 7. Make friends with fellow travelers. No one can resist a game of peek-a-boo. –Jena Vuylsteke Doc Talk With Dr. Daphne Wong Q: Under what circumstances should a child have his adenoids removed? Is it a necessary procedure? A: The adenoid is a single mass of tissue located in the back of the nose, where the nose joins the throat. Children who have their adenoids removed do not, on average, have more illnesses than those that don’t. In fact, in some cases, children who have their adenoids removed have been shown to have fewer illnesses. There are several reasons your child’s physician may recommend an adenoidectomy. They include adenoid enlargement causing nasal airway obstruction; recurrent or persistent middle-ear infections in children ages 3 to 4 years and older; and recurrent or chronic sinus infections. Q: What type of vitamins should I give to my child, and how soon do I start? A: Vitamins are an essential part of a good diet. However, the nutrients they deliver may not be absorbed in vitamin form as well as they are when obtained through a variety of foods. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Nutrition reports that supplemental vitamins are probably unnecessary for the child over age 1 who is healthy and eats a varied diet. For children less than 1 year old, milk from a well-nourished mother contains sufficient vitamins. All infants are given a vitamin K injection at birth and then bacteria in the gut produces vitamin K, so only a small amount is needed through food. There is a recommendation for supplemental vitamin D in breastfed infants. Vitamin D also may be obtained through sunlight. All standard commercial formulas contain enough vitamins. If you are worried about your child’s diet, one multivitamin a day is fine, but giving large doses of vitamins can be harmful. Always consult your pediatrician. Dr. Daphne Wong is on staff at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). |
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