Travel Safety for Kids

6 Effective Child Travel Safety Tips

Travelling with your child/children can be demanding as well as a fun experience. Being in the know before you go can help keep your child/children safe and reduce the stress on you. Here are a few tips that will make your trip hassle free and your child safer.

1. Planning

In the case your child has special needs make sure to plan according to your child’s need so he/she has everything to make sure he/she is comfortable. Planning also eliminate confusion and rush leaving enough rest time. As part of your planning make sure your child have the needed vaccines.

2. Using a child aviation restraint

If your child is under the age of two years old it’s ok to carry them in your lap as it’s not required by law to restrain them on the airplanes but a child aviation restraint is still required just in case there is an unoccupied seat next to you and your permitted to use it. If you choose to do so it’s worth considering a flight vest that secures your child in your lap. Note though it’s not a takeoff and landing requirement, but for travelling. For children weighing less than 40 pound a child aviation restraint is needed but one that’s appropriate to their weight and size along with a separate seat for your child.

Emergency sometime occurs without warning, so it’s best to keep your child in their seat as much as possible. But if the child, wants to get up allow them to do so only if the seat belt sign is off.

3. Emergency Preparation

It’s important to pay close attention to preflight emergency briefing. Also be sure to check with flight attendant or appropriate authority for available emergency equipment available for young children. If your child has health issue that may occur during flight be sure to notify the flight attendant before the flight.

4. Child essentials

When packing for your child be sure to pack all their essential items in your carry-on bag. Their food, bottled formula in an insulated storage cooler, diapers, child proof first aid kit, medicine if it’s a necessity, extra change of clothes, blanket, safe toys but no electronic games that may interfere with the aircraft's navigation system during the flight, and a pillow if it can fit. Also pack enough essential items just in case you may encounter a flight delay.

5. Be the parent/s or caregiver in charge

It’s your responsibility to monitor your child at all times. This avoids the child from wandering around during the flight unsupervised especially during long flights. This also eliminates accident or harm coming to the child in unrestricted areas.

6. Seat child away from aisle

Be sure to avoid seating child in the seat close to the aisle as this will avoid them from reaching out and holding unto anything of interest to them and hurting their arm by fellow passengers or staff accidental bumping into them.
Practicing these tips will give you a potential hassle free flight with your child.