Air Travel and Small Children May Not Go Well

Air travel is a convenient and accessible form of transport. Parents with young children love it because it is quick. Older passengers may sometimes disapprove of piercing screams. They may silently curse the parents for being irresponsible, because they do not understand why a hyperactive child is misbehaving.

The Effect of Air Travel on Hyperactive Children

The U.S. National Library of Medicine and Health reports air travel may not be suitable for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, or developmental delay. Delays waiting in crowds, slow queues, cramped seats, turbulence, and restricted washroom facilities can culminate in an anxiety attack.

The National Library recommends preparing children for flight with books about air travel, and detailed explanations of security checks and queues. Pre-boarding relaxation exercises before the flight may assist. However, they do not recommend additional medication, because aircrews are not equipped to deal with over sedation, and seizures.

More Adverse Side Effects Kids May Experience

Changes in ambient pressure as an aircraft ascends and descends, disturbs pressure in the middle ear. If not countered this can lead to sudden earache, and temporarily impaired hearing. It can be difficult to persuade a small child to yawn, swallow, or pinch their nose and blow gently. Chewing or drinking can help during take-off and descent.

Food allergies can erupt with alarming consequences if parents are not prepared. Airlines can accommodate special diets with advance warning, although cross contamination can still happen in busy industrial kitchens. If your child has a severe food allergy obtain permission for them to bring their own food. Make sure air travel security is able to inspect it thoroughly, so open sandwiches not meat pies.

Healthy children may suffer from jet lag, because their bodies express high amounts of melatonin, the hormone used for treating adults. Avoid giving it to children with secondary sleep disorders, because the side effects have not been properly investigated.

However, children with type 1 diabetes may need help when crossing time zones. If the day shortens by more than two hours traveling east, they may need to decrease their amount of intermediate- or long-acting insulin. Conversely, they may need to increase treatment if traveling west and lengthening the day by more than two hours.

Disclaimer

This article is not professional medical advice, and is for general interest only. Always consult a medical professional first about any doubts, especially before embarking on air travel regardless of duration.

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