Traveling with children is usually a challenge, but it can be much more nerve-racking if your child has severe allergies or asthma. Allergies and asthma can strike at any moment, making everything from a simple meal to a walk potentially dangerous.
However, this doesn’t mean that your child has to be stuck at home. Pediatric pulmonologists and allergists offer some insight into how to help your child stay safe, protect their lung health, and manage their asthma triggers during a trip.
Understand Your Child’s Triggers for Allergies and Asthma
Allergies and asthma have triggers. By speaking with your child’s pediatrician and potentially requesting an allergy assessment, you can get a clearer idea of what can impact your child. Once you know the various asthma, allergy symptoms triggers that can lead to asthma attacks, rashes, or other allergy symptoms, you can plan trips that avoid these situations.
It may require some adjustments from the family. If you have a tradition of visiting a very rural location but your child suffers from pollen allergies or hay fever, it may be time to begin a new tradition and choose destinations with cleaner air to prevent asthma flare-ups.
Research Air Quality and Pollen Counts and Allergy-Induced Asthma Risks
Children with seasonal allergies and severe asthma can struggle in locations where the air quality is poor or there is a high pollen count. Check your local weather websites for information on air quality.
There’s also AirNow, which is a website run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This site helps you determine when it’s safest for your child to be outdoors, reducing exposure to allergens.
Take the time to also learn when your destination’s pollen season starts. This timeline can vary. Even if it’s still winter where you are, your destination could be experiencing heavy pollen, which may worsen asthma symptoms for sensitive children.
Look for Allergen-Free Accommodations
Allergies and asthma are on the rise throughout the country, with as many as 50 million Americans living with seasonal or food allergies, so more hotels and B&Bs provide accommodations that are allergen-free. This means you can avoid locations where people may have smoked or kept pets.
Some hotels even provide hypoallergenic bedding and products. If they don’t and you’re concerned about dust mites triggering your child’s allergies, you can bring your own mattress covers and sheets.
Enquire about common areas, too. This is vitally important if you’re staying at a B&B, for example. If the bedroom is allergen-free, but the dining room, where your child will need to eat their meals, is not, this could cause problems during your stay.
Keep Windows Closed That Triggers Allergic Asthma
When traveling by car, keep the windows closed. Do the same when you get to your destination. Run the air conditioning or heating so that you have more control over what your child breathes in, reducing exposure to airborne allergens that may trigger an asthma attack.
Keep in mind that running the air conditioning will dry out the air in a room. Depending on where you are, you may need to have a humidifier or air purifier running to prevent asthma attacks.
Travel With All Medications and Allergy Information
When traveling, take all of your child’s prescribed medications. Ensure that their inhalers are full and that you have EpiPens if your child has a peanut allergy or other serious allergy risks. Let your child’s pediatrician know where you’re planning on going so that they can make any necessary adjustments to medications or provide new prescriptions.
It’s also vital to have thorough paperwork on your child’s allergies and asthma risks, along with their doctor’s number. If you’re traveling out of the country, make sure you know what the requirements are for bringing medications in your carry-ons.
Different countries and airlines might require diverse paperwork, so make sure you find out before heading to the airport.
Have a Plan in Mind for Emergencies and Asthma Attacks
With children who have severe allergies and asthma, it’s necessary to have a plan in mind in case an emergency arises.
Have an idea of where the nearest hospital is once you reach your location, and consider asking your child’s pediatrician whether they know of any peers in the area you can turn to for assistance if your child needs another inhaler or has other similar urgent treatment.
If you’re traveling to a location where the local residents speak another language, learn to say some crucial sentences to communicate that your child has food allergies or allergy-induced asthma or can create and carry an asthma action plan ensures you know exactly what to do if symptoms worsen. This can help you when dining out or during emergencies if your child requires medical treatment.
Encourage Your Child to Bathe Every Night After a Day Out
When traveling, it’s essential for your child to get rid of any pollen or allergens they may have on their clothing or skin before resting. It’s best to encourage them to bathe and change into other clothes.
Do this the moment they step back inside the hotel room. Give them fresh clothes to wear. If possible, store the used clothes in a ziplock bag so that they don’t come into contact with other items.
Be Proactive
If you know the pollen count will be higher at your destination, you can help your child prepare by providing them with nasal sprays and over-the-counter preventive antihistamines before traveling.
Ask your child’s pediatrician or allergist for help with this. They might be able to give you a better idea of what options can effectively prevent allergies and asthma attacks when taken over a period of time.
Prepare to Travel With Help From Your Child’s Pediatrician
If your family is planning a vacation or getting ready to see loved ones across the country during the holidays, making sure you know how to help your child avoid serious allergies and asthma attacks is probably at the top of your to-do list. The first step should be to speak with your child’s doctor to see what they recommend.
With assistance from experts, you can prevent serious health issues while also being certain that you know what to do if your child struggles with allergy or asthma symptoms. At Newport Children’s Medical Group, we offer the guidance you need. With help from our dedicated pediatricians, you can have an easier time traveling with your child.
Contact our team to book a visit with one of our pediatricians.