WV Family Magazine’s
Family Travel Guide
This guide includes:
- Is Your Child Safe in Your Family Vehicle?
- On the Road Again! – Keeping Your Kids Entertained in the Back Seat
- First Aid Kit for Traveling
- Safe Teen Driving – Vehicle Crash Fatalities Peak During Summer Months
- 7 Things You Must Know if You’re Traveling with Food Allergies
- Don't forget your four-legged family members
Is Your Child Safe in Your
Family Vehicle?
In 2005 an average of 508 children were injured each day in motor vehicles, with an average of 4 child fatalities daily.
Seat all children ages 12 and younger in the back seat and be sure they are properly restrained every time they ride with you–even during those quick trips to the corner market. To find more resources on proper restraints including rear–facing seats, forward-facing seats, and booster seats, go to http://www.cdc.gov/MotorVehicleSafety/Child_Passenger_Safety/childseat-spot.html.
Read both your car seat (or booster) instruction manual and your vehicle owner’s manual to make sure you are properly installing and using the seat. One study found that 73% of nearly 3,500 observed child restraint systems were misused in a way that could increase a child’s risk of injury during a crash.
Send in your car seat registration card so that the manufacturer can contact you about any recalls. You can also call the NHTSA Auto Safety Hotline at (888) 327–4236 to find out about recalls.
Replace any car seat that was used during a motor vehicle crash.
Provided by CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information - http://www.cdc.gov/MotorVehicleSafety
On the Road Again!
Keeping your kids entertained in the back seat
School is out and summer vacation is here. Whether you are taking a family summer vacation or a short day trip - family travel is always a big part of summer. Traveling with kids and keeping them entertained in the back seat can be a challenge. Each stage of growth offers new challenges, as well as cherished memories of traveling together and fun vacation destinations.
Infants
Newborn babies need almost non-stop attention and care throughout the day. Traveling during the first few months, may require staying close to home. By three months old most babies travel pretty well, as long as the trip is not too long. Travel time can be boring for an infant, so providing a variety of stimulation and then plenty of sleep time will make baby happy. Bring along a bag full of baby's favorite toys. Interactive toys that will hold your child's attention are best. Also be sure to pack extra clothes, a travel-friendly changing pad, large resealable plastic bags, a hat to shade baby, a lightweight blanket, sunscreen (if baby is 6 months or older), and any bottled meals baby will need.
In the car, infants should always ride in the back seat in a rear-facing infant seat - never in the front seat. (All infants should ride rear-facing until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds.) Be sure the seat is properly installed and seat belts are correctly threaded. Also make sure the harness fits properly - see your car seat manual for adjusting harness straps to shoulder height and tightness.
Toddlers
Traveling can be a little more difficult with toddlers. They can get very bored and many do not like the restraints of the seat belt. No matter how much your child protests - he/she should always be safely fastened into a child car seat. Make sure plenty of rest stops are made and allow time at each for your toddler to run and play - using up extra energy. Bring along your child's favorite toys, plus musical toys, sing-along tapes, and other things to entertain your toddler. About the age of three, toddlers can usually participate in family car games such as counting objects outside of the car (cows or buses, etc...) or "I Spy". Also be sure to bring extra clothes, a hat and sunscreen, a blanket and pillow, finger foods, a bib, drinks and sippy cups, resealable plastic bags, and a removable car shade screen for your child's window to keep the sun off him/her. To avoid setbacks in potty training, bring a portable potty seat which fits onto grown-up toilets anywhere.
Children, (toddlers and preschoolers) 1 year of age and older and weighing at least 20 pounds, can be positioned in a forward- facing car seat in the back seat.
School-aged Children
As your child gets a little older, traveling gets easier. Your child will have a longer attention span and will be able to entertain themselves. Be sure your child gets plenty of sleep the night before the trip. Stop every couple hours for a bathroom break, a stretch, and a snack. Bring favorite toys, portable art supplies, and any favorite electronic devices such as: GameBoy, Ninetendo, MP3 player, IPOD, and DVD player. Electronic devices such as games and movies can help eliminate car sickness. (This works wonders with my daughter. When she is in a vehicle that has no DVD player, she ends up very sick and miserable for the rest of the trip.) Of course you will want to set limits and let them know ahead of time how much time they can be on electronic games so that they can also enjoy family discussions or travel games with the others.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children (ages 5 and up) who have outgrown their forward-facing car seat should ride in a booster seat. The booster seat simply raises the child to make the adult seat belt fit properly. The seat belt should fit low and snug on the upper thigh, not across the belly, and should lie across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not on the neck or throat. Children should use a booster seat until they reach 4'9" tall (usually between 8 and 12 years old). Children who have outgrown their booster seats should ride in a lap and shoulder belt in the back seat until 13 years of age.
Teens
For teens, the cramped family vehicle means the loss of their privacy. Understanding your teen's need for a little privacy and the need to interact with their friends - cell phone, texting, emailing - will help you and your teen enjoy the travel time. Set time limits for use of texting devices and cell phones, in order to be sure your teen is engaging in family time too. Vacation time is a great time to bond with your teen. The American Society of Travel Agents reports that by being in a different environment, helps teens to become more open. Involving your teen in family discussions, trip planning, and travel games can be a rewarding and bonding experience. Be sure to bring snacks and drinks, a pillow, a book (summer reading is required by many schools), trivial pursuit cards or a book of interesting facts and tidbits is a great way to get your teen involved. Also bring your teen's student ID - for discount rates/admissions to parks or museums. Give your teen a change of scenery and let them sit in the front seat. (The younger ones will also enjoy the change of seating arrangements when a parent moves to the back seat with them.) The family travel time is also a great opportunity for your teen of driving age to get practice behind the wheel. Sobering statistics show that lack of driving experience is one of the leading causes of teen driving fatalities. So the chance to drive for long stretches with a parent in the car is a very good thing. ©2009 Carla Cosner
First Aid Kit for Traveling
Prescription medicineThermometer
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen (for all ages)
Antibacterial gel
Antibiotic ointment
Sterile bandages
Tweezers
Sunscreen (UVA & UVB protection)
Lip protection (SPF 15+)
Insect repellent
Calamine lotion
Cold pack
First Aid Pocket Guide
Bottled Water or Electrolyte replacements
Safe Teen Driving -
Crash Fatalities Peak During Summer Months
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 6 of the 10 worst days of the year for vehicle crash deaths occur in the summer months - making summer driving for teens the most dangerous time of the year. The data emerging over the 25 years of tracking shows a clear pattern that drivers, not weather, control the number of traffic fatalities (January and February have the lowest number of traffic deaths). This edition of the “Safe Teen Driving Series” offers tips to help keep your teen safe this summer and the rest of the year.
Obey the Speed Limits
Speeding is one of the biggest risks teens take. Teens are more likely than any other age group to speed. Due to such factors as inexperience, immaturity, and peer pressure, teens have a hard time sorting out what could happen. By having a “zero tolerance” policy for speeding, you significantly reduce your teen’s risk, says the NHTSA.
Focus on the Road
Distractions such as talking to passengers, talking on the cell phone, reading and/or sending text messages, eating/drinking, and fiddling with the radio or cd player can cause your young driver to not focus on driving safely. Set limits on number of passengers and make the rule that they must pull over to talk on the phone, send or read a text, eat, adjust the radio, and such – this way your teen is focusing on the road with both hands on the steering wheel, eyes watching, and ears listening.
Buckle Up
Teens are the age group with the highest rate for not wearing seatbelts, reports the NHTSA. Using a seat belt may seem like a simple way to avoid serious injury, but 57% of teen daytime fatalities were not buckled. Reasons that teens say they don’t buckle up: they got in a hurry, they forgot, it’s not cool, they don’t need a seatbelt because their vehicle is safe, they don’t need a seatbelt because they are a safe driver, their parent doesn’t buckle up, and because they heard that seatbelts can actually hurt them. (This is an urban myth. The number of people who have been harmed by seat belts is nothing compared to the hundreds of thousands of people saved by them each and every year.) Again, make a “zero tolerance” policy with your teen – if they don’t wear a seatbelt, they don’t drive. And if they remove it after they leave your sight – they lose their driving privileges. (Passengers must buckle up too. Losing a friend in a traffic accident because that friend did not buckle up while you were driving is a horrible feeling your teen does not want to have.)
Limit Passengers
Studies by both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration have shown that teens become more reckless behind the wheel when they are in a larger group. When there are lots of people in the car teens have been shown to be more likely to speed, to allow unlicensed peers to drive, to drive while intoxicated, to take passengers without seat belts or allow people to sit on other passenger’s laps when there is not enough seats. Set the limit for your teen, keeping in mind that according to a 2008 report by NHTSA – a teen transporting other teens has a 3-5 times greater risk of crashing than if driving alone.
Get Plenty of Rest
A recent NHTSA survey found that fatigue played a part in 18% of traffic deaths. Fatigue reduces the ability to process information and therefore reduces reaction time. Be sure your teen gets plenty of rest the night before. Since many teens stay up late, adjust the time of their travel to leave later in the morning – allowing for 9 hours of sleep the night before as recommended for teens by the American Sleep Disorders Association . If your teen if going on a long journey, help them plan where to stay overnight and stops to take a break every two hours. Try to schedule driving around when they normally would be asleep (early mornings and late nights).
Never Drive Impaired
Parents need to have a “zero tolerance” policy for their teen driving under the influence of alcohol, prescription or street drugs, or over- the-counter medications. Teens are not the only offenders when it comes to driving impaired, but their lack of driving experience make the risks that much greater. Couple this with the fact that when teens drink and drive they are more likely to take passengers and it’s a recipe for multi-victim disaster.
Following the rules, paying attention, and driving carefully can save not just your life, but the lives of others too.
7 Things You Must Know if You’re Traveling with Food Allergies
The number of children diagnosed with potentially life-threatening food allergies continues to rise, and a growing number of families are now wondering how to keep their food-allergic children safe when away from home. While traveling with children always poses challenges, traveling with a child who has severe food allergies requires an extra level of planning and awareness.
Linda Coss, author of “How To Manage Your Child’s Life-Threatening Food Allergies: Practical Tips For Everyday Life,” provides the following advice:
Traveling by air? Be sure to bring a signed letter from your physician authorizing you to bring epinephrine autoinjectors on board the plane. Also, if possible book the first flight of the day, to increase the chances that the plane will be freshly cleaned.
Renting a car? Bring your own child safety seat. A “rental” seat may be covered in allergenic food residue.
Staying overnight? Bring your own toiletries. The products provided may contain allergenic ingredients.
Think you might get hungry? Research the food options at your destination before you leave home. Also, always travel with a variety of safe ready-to-eat snacks and enough food for the food-allergic individual to eat one or two meals, in case there’s a change in plans.
Going out to eat? Don’t assume that the local outlet of a national or regional restaurant chain will use the same ingredients or preparation methods as the restaurant in your hometown. As always, call ahead and speak to the manager or chef about your special needs.
Cooking your own food? Be aware that familiar-looking products at the supermarket may not be identical to those available at home. They might be licensed to a different manufacturer, made with different ingredients, or processed in a different facility.
Staying with friends or family? Make sure they understand how your food-allergic family member’s special needs will affect the entire household during your visit.
Numerous additional tips for traveling with food allergies can be found in “How To Manage Your Child’s Life-Threatening Food Allergies.” This book gives parents the step-by-step information they need to create a safe and enjoyable home, school and social life for a severely food-allergic child.
Ms. Coss is also the author of two popular food allergy cookbooks, “What’s to Eat?” and “What Else is to Eat?”, both of which provide recipes for cooking without dairy, egg, peanut or tree nut ingredients. All three books are available at www.FoodAllergyBooks.com, at Amazon.com, and at various retailers nationwide.
NAPPS ADVISES PET PARENTS:
DON’T FORGET YOUR FOUR-LEGGED FAMILY MEMBERS WHEN MAKING TRAVEL PLANS.
Hire a Professional Pet Sitter to Ensure Fido is Safe and Happy While the Family’s Away.
As warmer temperatures tantalizingly tease of the summer months to come, many people are busy booking vacations. With thoughts of beach destinations and other getaways, it may be easy to forget your furry, feathery or scaly family member – but the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS), a nonprofit organization comprised of in-home pet care professionals, urges pet parents to remember your pet’s well-being and happiness.
“Although ‘arrange for professional pet sitter’ isn’t among conventional vacation preparations, NAPPS urges pet parents to think about all the changes – and risks – that come with the summer months, and act with your pet’s bet interests in mind,” said John D’Ariano, President of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. “Many people don’t realize how jarring it is for pets to be placed in a kennel, nor do they realize bringing the pets with them on vacation often is more complicated and stressful for all involved – human and animal – than a much simpler alternative.”
Selecting a professional pet sitter benefits both the pet and the pet owner. Though the parent is away, pets remain in a comfortable, familiar environment – their own home – ensuring as little change in routine and behavior as possible. In addition to maintaining the pet’s current diet and exercise regiment, professional pet sitters can ensure medical treatments are administered as needed. Although the owner is on vacation, the pet still receives plenty of love and personal attention.
Another benefit of working with a professional pet sitter provides added peace of mind for pet parents, in the form of additional security. With a professional pet sitter caring for the family pets in their own home, the home receives extra protection, in the form of crime deterrent measures provided by most professional pet caregivers.
NAPPS provides an online tool to help pet owners find a reputable pet sitter during the upcoming holiday travel season. The “Pet Sitter Locator” connects pet owners with licensed, bonded and insured professional pet sitters in their local area and is easily accessible at www.petsitters.org. |
About NAPPS
NAPPS is a national non-profit trade association dedicated to promoting the welfare of animals. The Association aims to help the pet owning public, those interested in pet sitting, and professionals engaged in the in-home pet care industry by fulfilling its vision statement, serving as “the most respected authority in professional pet sitting.” It does so by providing the tools and support to foster the success of its members. Additionally, pet parents can benefit from NAPPS’ free resources including a disaster preparedness guide, tips on how to select a pet sitter, nationwide referral service, and quarterly teleconferences aimed to educate the pet owning public. To find a pet sitter in your area, check out NAPPS’ nationwide “Pet Sitter Locator” at www.petsitters.org. For more information on NAPPS, please follow @TheNAPPS on Twitter or join us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNAPPS.