Traveling with CF Toddlers

[CFTwins]

Hi All,

Our docs gave use the okay last week to visit my hubby's family in Oregon this summer. So it will be the first big trip for the kids. We have airplane tickets, and a 10-day visit planned. Staying mainly with my sister-in-law, but a few hotel days too. I asked the doc about special precautions and tips for traveling and of course... he didn't say!

So, I'm wondering from the real experts -- any special precautions you take when traveling with CFer? Tips? Tricks for keeping 16-month old twins busy on two flights and a three hour layover!! How do you carry all the stuff... I think it's going to be a little crazy!

Anyway - I welcome toddler tips for CF or otherwise!


Stacy

 

[Jenica]

Hi, Stacy. Where in Oregon is your husband's family? I live in Massachusetts now, but I'm from Oregon originally. We go back West every year, and I'll be taking my 9-month old daughter with CF this summer for the first time as well.

I've done the trip three times with my almost 2 and a half year old, and it is VERY long. Because it's such a long trip and I have so much family to see when I'm out there, I usually stay for a month. My husband can't take that much time off of work, so I usually fly by myself and he meets me out there for two weeks in the middle. The hardest thing for a trip that long is the napping. I feel like there is a lot going on in airports and on the plane to keep little ones interested (so much activity!), but getting my daughter to nap was almost impossible.

I think the rule for traveling with babies is pretty much do whatever it takes to keep them happy! I remember one trip starting with my clean toy ziploc, my dirty toy ziploc, everything all organized and planned, and by the end, Abby was playing with the ziploc itself, and I was okay with that!

I haven't done the trip with my little girl with CF yet, so I'm not a lot of help there, but we did go to my sister's wedding in NY in February, and I found the hardest thing was sterilizing bottles, breast pump accessories, etc. If you have a microwave in your hotel room, Medela sells sterilizer steam bags that are meant to be used for cleaning breast pump equipment, but it works great for bottles and pacifiers too. I don't know if your twins use a nebulizer, but it might work on those parts as well. Ellie isn't on a nebulizer yet, so I can't say for sure, but I would definitely look into it.

Also, I know everyone recommends getting a direct flight to minimize travel time, you said you are taking two flights, and I've always thought that is was so much easier, breaking it up. Instead of 5+ hours on the same plane, same surroundings, same people right next to them, you get a three hour stretch, a break in the airport, then a fresh start on a new plane. It does add to the trip a little, but personally, I think it's worth it!

I hope you have a great time! We're heading out this year in August, and I'm so excited. (My dad is going to travel one direction with me though, since I just don't feel up to taking the two little ones on my own just yet.)

 

[NoExcuses]

make sure to call ALL meds on the plane with you.

I travel every few months and I can't tell you how often I've been happy with myself for packing my meds on the plane with me (they lose my luggage).

Don't let anyone tell you that you have too many carry ons, as well. If you have medication or medical devices, you can carry on as many as you would like. DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU ANY DIFFERENTLY. It's federal law.

Enjoy! Let us know how it goes

 

[Augustmom0003]

We've traveled a few times w/ my CF toddler. Twice to Ft. Lauderdale from Indiana. So, if you're adding up those WONDERFUL, BONDING hours...it's 40 hours in a vehicle with a toddler and a preschooler. UGH! LOL!!!! Just try looking for a hotel at 10pm to do breathing treatments and to get the kids to sleep...and forgetting that it was Spring Break. Not fun!

The BEST advice I was given...disposable nebs!!!! It was a lifesaver the second time...and SOOOO wish I'd have thought of it the first time. Would have saved soo much time.

Besides that, we had lots and lots of clorox wipes (a little less the second time...lol!) and hand sanitizer. My kids had so much fun on vacation (both times) and it was worth any and every hassle we went through!

 

[CFTwins]

Thanks everybody.

Jenica-- My hubby is from Lake Oswego, Zig Zag and Eugene...yep they moved a lot! My inlaws live in Camas now and that's where we'll stay, except a two day trip to Seaside. We're excited, but I think the flight, etc., etc. might just be awful!

How do you handle the time change? Try to keep them on their home schedule or get a adjusted to a new one?

Have you ever had a sick--cougher next to you on the plane... that freaks me out a bit! Anybody every been asked to move? (I'm sure they'd love to move two adults and two infants.

Any other ideas that come to mind... I'd love

Stacy

 

[Jenica]

I was a nanny one summer in Lake Oswego, and I went to U of O in Eugene my first year of college before transferring back East. I always miss Oregon, but so much more when people start talking about visiting!

As far as time changes, I pretty much revert to local time as soon as we get there. Their schedules are usually a mess from all of the travelling anyway, so I figure just start them off fresh from the get-go. Abby usually adjusts by the second day, although it did take a full three days one trip.

I don't ever remember sitting next to anyone that was noticeably sick, but I haven't travelled with Ellie yet, and pre-CF, I doubt it would have made much of an impact on me. And as far as switching seats, I'm sure plenty of people will offer to give up their seats near you and your little twins! Ha ha! I've found travelling with a small baby is the best way to get a row of seats to yourself!

When are you travelling?

 

[Ratatosk]

We take along all our medications and ds' nebulizer in a carry-on. The drugs are in a lunch bag cooler with an icepack -- ones you get from CF services when you order Tobi are the best -- keep things cool forever! DH and I usually both have a backpack/carry-on.

If your child has to have his/her own ticket -- bring along the carseat. Keeps them confined. Our first trip on a flight when DS was 14 months old, he kept grabbing the woman in front of us thru the space betweent he seats. Books, snacks, juice... In case you have to do a diaper change in the airplane bathroom -- bring along pull-up style diapers so you don't have to try and find a place for your child to lay down or try to secure a diaper while your child. Godsend on a flight back from Mexico last February and a child with a poo diaper --- had him stand on the closed toilet seat, sort of leaning on me while I did clean up and got him dressed again.

Fold up/umbrella stroller to get thru the airport, check-in, security, baggage claim.

I always try to get a hotel room with a mini fridge -- if they aren't listed with the room, ask -- sometimes for a charge of $5 they'll bring one up for you. Or I pack a small thermo-electric cooler in our luggage for use when we arrive to store ds's drugs. I get premixed carnation instant breakfast or milk that doesn't need to be refriderated. Small cans of spagettios or microwavable meals, juice boxes, fruit cups (mandarin oranges), tubes of peanut butter -- just a few things to get me by until I can find a place to shop -- I usually pick up some yogurt, milk, cheese slices at a grocery store after I arrive. I pack a small metal lunch box in our luggage that has disposable dishwashing rags w/soap in them, medicine cups, extra oral syringes -- once I arrive I transfer the neb drugs and non-fridge drugs to that, so I can keep it on the counter to organize mixing up drugs, etc.