Deep Vein Thrombosis

Is there a connection between long haul flights and potentially fatal blood clots? Public concern is growing, particularly following the case of Emma Christoffersen in October 2000, who developed a deep vein thrombosis DVT on a flight from Australia and died just hours later. The House of Lords published a wide-ranging report on health in the air in November 2000 after a select committee took evidence from dozens of experts. The Lords concluded that the causal link was unproven and more research was needed.

They urged airlines, however, to warn passengers of the risks of DVT and give them 'freedom and space to move around' the cabin. With a sleeping baby on your lap on a long haul flight you may worry that by moving you will wake him, normally you won't, so follow the advice and get up and stretch your legs and go for a walk to get your blood flowing. If you're baby is awake, walking up and down the aisle may be enough to rock him to sleep whilst improving your circulation at the same time. Check out Let's go babe! - Travelling whilst pregnant for more information on DVT and an explanation of simple exercises to do whilst sitting.

Plaster Casts

If you have a child who has been in the wars and is now in a plaster cast you will have to discuss this with your doctor as whilst flying our bodies swell and a plaster cast will restrict the flow of blood through the limb etc.

If you think that your child may have been exposed to, for example, chickenpox or other infectious disease, it's worth remembering that the majority of airlines won't let you fly.

The dry air in aircraft causes dehydration and unfortunately little can be done to change the amount of fresh air available when flying. If you think the fresh air content is low you can ask the cabin crew if it can be increased, some airlines cut ventilation rates as this means they will make savings on the airline's fuel costs!. To make matters worse air bourne viruses can be easily picked up from fellow passengers and these viruses tend to survive better in low humidity dry air. To avoid being affected by these virus the best defence is for you and your children to be as healthy as possible while flying.



To help alleviate the effects of dehydration ensure you're family drinks lot's of liquids before, during and after the flight. Water is better than coffee, tea or fruit juices, and 'sorry' mums and dads, alcohol is not only useless in combating dehydration, but also has a markedly greater intoxicating effect when consumed in the rarefied atmosphere of an airliner than it does at ground level. It is estimated to be three times more powerful, therefore, a couple of gins before dinner and two glasses of wine with the meal (equivalent to twelve drinks) could leave you with a bad hangover. If you fancy some fizz try drinking effervescent Vitamin C !