Traveling when sick is tough for adults. Traveling with sick kids becomes exponentially more difficult. It is most important to make sure it is safe for your child to fly. Please check with your pediatrician or medical care provider and be sure to LISTEN TO YOUR PARENTAL INSTINCT.
A sick child is nothing to mess with at 37,000 feet.
Once you have the go ahead to travel, stock the medical kit (in the carry-on bag) with comfort items (symptom relief) and medications, remedies, and treatments for potential needs of colds, fevers, diarrhea, vomiting, environmental or food allergies, motion sickness, constipation, gas pain, allergic reactions, teething, and any other ailments your child may experience when traveling.
Do not rely on the airline or airport to stock child dose medications or comfort items.
When flying with a child suffering from illness, ensure the child is not in serious danger and then alleviate misery with comfort measures.
Cold/Flu Virus: Symptomatic relief, rest, increasing fluids, and supporting the immune system is about all you can do to get through the cold or flu virus. The immune system is the fighter here – support it! Antibiotics will not help the body fight a virus. Aches and pains may be alleviated with Tylenol or Motrin- consult with your medical care provider about which medications to pack for potential needs in flight and if your child is old enough for them.
Do not ever give aspirin to children!
- Follow directions for symptom relief medication.
- Do not overmedicate- even if it is tempting to give just a little bit more! Kids are sensitive to medication dosages.
- Do not assume half of an adult dose is child appropriate.
- As with any medication when used for the first time, try it at home first. Some medications like Benadryl can have a paradoxical effect and instead of a sedated child – your child can react the opposite and be hyper! (never good on a flight or when they are sick!)
Like the ABCs of CPR, Airway is important. Basic “booger removal” may be required to get some relief for little tikes.
When an infant has a difficult time breathing, drinking (breastfeeding and bottle) becomes an issue. Dehydration will only make them feel worse. Flying doesn’t help- the dry air, increased pressure, and dehydration exacerbate the symptoms of a cold. It is a bad cycle.
- Use the Cleanoz nasal aspirator and saline mist or salt water drops to keep nasal passages clear.
- Humidity at home or in the hotel is great to help with congestion; turn the shower on hot and stand in the bathroom with the door closed with the child breathing in the moist, warm air.
- Use humidifiers at night. (Make sure to clean them to prevent bacterial growth)
- Offer warm broth to sip. The broth helps to thin secretions and makes it easier for the body to get rid of them.
- Breathing through a wet washcloth on the plane may provide some minor relief of dry nasal passages. Use only bottled water.
- Moisten the nasal passages with a saline spray for kids.
- Ocean for Kids solution – contains glycerin and no alcohol (may eliminate the stinging effect caused by some saline sprays)
- Ocean Complete – preservative-free; irrigator of all the bacteria (found in mucous) that clogs nasal passages
- Ocean Ultra – preservative-free; contains Hyaluronan and Glycerin for extra moisturizing
- Continue to wash children’s hands even when they are sick. Many viruses (there are over 200 viruses that can cause a “cold”) are in public places and can live hours (even weeks) on surfaces. When a child’s immune system is already down and fighting, it is more susceptible to other illnesses as well.
- Boogie Wipes alleviate the discomfort of wiping dried boogers.
Ear Pain: Descent usually begins about 25 minutes before landing. Ear pain when flying can be excruciating and is often worse during and after congestion from a cold or allergies. Often ear pain when flying is caused by the tiny Eustachian tube not opening to relieve pressure in the middle ear cavity. The same muscles used to swallow also open the Eustachian tube, thus swallowing may help to open the little tube and relieve pressure in the middle ear cavity.
- Encourage your child to drink something periodically during the descent of the airplane to help alleviate ear pressure. For children over the age of 3 with chronic ear issues, ask your medical care provider about the EarPopper. (*I have worked with the EarPopper product as a consultant.)
- Feed infants a bottle but do not remove them from the car seat to breast feed as this compromises safety.
Remember to pack things like the pediatricians phone number, immunization records, important medical records, and any medications the child has been prescribed.
Teething: Consider the potential for teething as well. Even if your child is not complaining of symptoms before the trip, 37,000 feet in the air is not a good place to realize the first tooth is trying to poke through or that a fever is raging and there is no Infant Motrin on board.
Fevers: Remember fevers are the body’s way of fighting illness. Don’t immediately knock them out unless the temperature is endangering your child’s health or the medical care provider has instructed to do so. Consult with the family pediatrician or medical care provider for guidelines. *I spoke with the Infant Motrin and Tylenol rep. at the AAP conference. She stated that to quickly reduce a high fever, use Motrin. Tylenol will also reduce a fever, just not as fast as Motrin. However consult with your physician regarding what age is appropriate for all medications.
Diarrhea/Vomiting/Dehydration: I have written a separate post on this. Click here for more info.
General Tips:
- Do not expect other passengers to be understanding or helpful. If they are – bonus. But for the most part we are on our own when flying with kids. Nobody wants to be exposed to an illness and a flight can be unbearably long with an irritable, sick child.
- It is highly advised to consider delaying or canceling a trip when a child is really sick.
- Consider travel insurance as a wise investment. When you have kids – life is unpredictable. Kids spread the most germs. They get sick. Flexibility is the secret to sanity as a parent, especially a traveling parent!
- Do not rely on the airport or airlines for medical needs.
- Do not count on a 24 hour store or pharmacy at your destination. Not every town has 24 hour stores.
- Understand TSA restrictions. Print out anything relevant to your travel needs. Over the counter medications are allowed through security. But you must declare them to the agent so they don’t give you a difficult time about them. If they are more than 3 oz. and don’t fit in the clear quart size bag, bring the supporting documentation.
Remember- illness can show up a couple days after exposure. Prepare for the worst and be happy if you don’t experience it.
Traveling with sick kids (or sick adults) takes extra energy and patience. This is when any extra stress needs to be alleviated and schedules need to be basic and travel as slow as possible. Parents can get sick too, so it is best for everyone to take steps to prevent illness both before and during travels.
Travel well!
*This post was originally published in 2007. It is being reposted with relevant updates. Affiliate links in this post do not affect the quality of our recommendations. For our site disclaimer and disclosure, read here.
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