Health

How to Travel With Babies and Toddlers

Published

1 year ago

January 30, 2025

Traveling with a baby or a toddler can be fun, frustrating, even revelatory. Planning is key, and so is your willingness to tailor the trip to the youngest traveler. As Dr. Elizabeth Barnett, the director of the pediatric travel program at Boston Medical Center, advises, “If you take a young child, it’s all about the child.”

Choose one (or two) destinations

This is not the time for a “nine European capitals in seven days” trip. Think about picking one place or splitting your trip between two destinations. That will allow you to settle in and get the sleep schedule sorted out. Most small children thrive on routines. If you find the right playground or bakery, your child will enjoy returning.

Getting there: It’s all about strategy — and luck

Airports, airplanes, long drives, train rides: They all loom large, depending on your child’s disposition. Get ready to distract, soothe, sing, nurse — whatever helps. For toddlers, pediatricians agree that travel is the perfect occasion to forget screen time rules and embrace devices and programming that will help pass the time.

For babies, sucking something aboard an airplane can help with painful air pressure changes in the ears, so pack a pacifier and a bottle, and if you’re breastfeeding, dress for comfortable semipublic nursing. Don’t give your baby medication to promote sleep unless you’ve discussed it with your pediatrician — and if you get clearance, try it at home first in case there are negative reactions. Healthychildren.org, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, is a good source for tips on air travel with babies.

Keep in mind that if an infant car seat is going to be used on an airplane, it should say on the label that it is certified for use on aircraft.

Some children behave perfectly on long flights, while others lose it completely. But every child is capable of both. It’s up to you to bring along equipment and diversions, snacks, changes of clothing and a friendly, apologetic smile in case your child interferes with other passengers’ comfort.

Where you stay matters

Many people with young children prefer vacation rentals with kitchens. Hotels, however, can work well — breakfast buffets and housekeeping services are always helpful — but check online comments to see whether guests with babies and toddlers have had good experiences.

When it comes to cribs, alert your hotel, and inquire in advance about availability. Airbnb has a filter for those looking for cribs. Many hosts will specify any additional equipment, including baby monitors. Your best bet, though, is to be in touch with the host. Remember that “child-friendly” does not mean “childproof” so look at the details and be particularly vigilant about staircases, fireplaces, pools and hot tubs.

Sleep when your baby sleeps

Sleep schedules vary widely in children. Some babies can sleep anywhere and through anything, and others need a quiet, dark room. Be flexible: In this, as in so much else, you’re more likely to have a successful trip if you follow the child’s schedule than if you insist on an adult schedule with a sleepy, cranky child.

Choose child-friendly restaurants

Don’t go for fancy, do go for friendly, and try going at off-peak hours. Your ideal restaurant is a place where families come to eat and relax. One delightful aspect of travel in Spain and Italy, for example, is that if you find yourself setting out for a late dinner with an active baby or a toddler, everyone will take it for granted. And whatever the hour, if you find a place that works — and dishes your toddler appreciates — be prepared to go back.

Throw away the ‘adult’ sightseeing checklists

You may love to visit every church and art collection, but not on this trip. Choose one or two things you would most like to do, consider whether a baby carrier or stroller would work best, and be prepared to shorten or scrub the mission. Start out with limited expectations, and you may be surprised by your child’s adaptability.

Bring the right equipment

Yes, you need a folding stroller, and yes, you need a car seat. A portable crib guarantees you a safe sleep surface and may also give you a playpen in a strange room. There are also portable high chairs, which clip on to the edge of a table. Wirecutter has a summary of everything from portable cribs to blackout curtains to sound machines.

Consider vaccines, emergency plans, and food and water safety

Well before leaving, check in with your child’s pediatrician. Make sure immunizations are up-to-date, and discuss whether additional shots are needed. The measles vaccine, usually administered at age 1, can be given earlier if you’re going somewhere where measles might be a problem. Hepatitis A vaccines can also be given early. For remote areas, consider seeing a travel medicine expert, and discuss special immunizations and antimalarial drugs.

Bring medication your child regularly takes, and ask your pediatrician how to communicate if problems arise. You can also check in advance with rental hosts or concierges about local doctors and hospitals, with particular reference to pediatrics.

If your child does get sick while traveling, “the first thing is to do what you would do if you were at home,” Dr. Barnett said. Consider packing liquid acetaminophen or ibuprofen. A child with vomiting or diarrhea needs liquids immediately to prevent dehydration, and the younger the baby, the more important it is to seek local medical attention.

In an area without safe water, breastfeeding is one way to keep your baby safe; for a child drinking anything else, be rigorous about using boiled or bottled water, and stick to cooked foods and peelable fruits.

Don’t lose sight of the sun

Wherever you are, prioritize sun safety. Bring sunscreen and hats, and keep young children covered up in the bright sun. If you need both sunscreen and insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first.

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Health

Heart disease threat projected to climb sharply for key demographic

Published

11 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Heart disease threat projected to climb sharply for key demographic

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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.

The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.

More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.

The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.

As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)

Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.

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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”

“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.

NEARLY 90% OF AMERICANS AT RISK OF SILENT DISEASE — HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW

“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)

Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”

The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.

The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.

DOCTOR SHARES 3 SIMPLE CHANGES TO STAY HEALTHY AND INDEPENDENT AS YOU AGE

“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”

Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.

Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)

Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.

The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.

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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”

“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”

“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)

“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”

The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.

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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.

“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

Vanessa Williams, 62, Opens up About Weight Loss and HRT After Menopause

Published

22 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Vanessa Williams, 62, Opens up About Weight Loss and HRT After Menopause

Vanessa Williams Opens up About Weight Loss and HRT | Woman’s World

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Health

Common vision issue linked to type of lighting used in Americans’ homes

Published

23 hours ago

February 26, 2026

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Common vision issue linked to type of lighting used in Americans’ homes

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Nearsightedness (myopia) is skyrocketing globally, with nearly half of the world’s population expected to be myopic by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.

Heavy use of smartphones and other devices is associated with an 80% higher risk of myopia when combined with excessive computer use, but a new study suggests that dim indoor lighting could also be a factor.

For years, scientists have been puzzled by the different ways myopia is triggered. In lab settings, it can be induced by blurring vision or using different lenses. Conversely, it can be slowed by something as simple as spending time outdoors, research suggests.

Nearsightedness occurs when the eyeball grows too long from front to back, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). This physical elongation causes light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it, making distant objects appear blurry.

The study suggests that myopia isn’t caused by the digital devices themselves, but by the low-light environments where they are typically used. (iStock)

Researchers at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry identified a potential specific trigger for this growth. When someone looks at a phone or a book up close, the pupil naturally constricts.

COMMON VISION ISSUE COULD LEAD TO MISSED CANCER WARNING, STUDY FINDS

“In bright outdoor light, the pupil constricts to protect the eye while still allowing ample light to reach the retina,” Urusha Maharjan, a SUNY Optometry doctoral student who conducted the study, said in a press release.

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“When people focus on close objects indoors, such as phones, tablets or books, the pupil can also constrict — not because of brightness, but to sharpen the image,” she went on. “In dim lighting, this combination may significantly reduce retinal illumination.”

High-intensity natural light prevents myopia because it provides enough retinal stimulation to override the “stop growing” signal, even when pupils are constricted. (iStock)

The hypothesis suggests that when the retina is deprived of light during extended close-up work, it sends a signal for the eye to grow.

In a dim environment, the narrowed pupil allows so little light through that the retinal activity isn’t strong enough to signal the eye to stop growing, the researchers found.

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In contrast, being outdoors provides light levels much brighter than indoors. This ensures that even when the pupil narrows to focus on a nearby object, the retina still receives a strong signal, maintaining healthy eye development.

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The team noted some limitations of the study, including the small subject group and the inability to directly measure internal lens changes, as the bright backgrounds used to mimic the outdoors made pupils too small for standard equipment.

Researchers believe that increasing indoor brightness during close-up work could be a simple, testable way to slow the global nearsightedness epidemic. (iStock)

“This is not a final answer,” Jose-Manuel Alonso, MD, PhD, SUNY distinguished professor and senior author of the study, said in the release.

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“But the study offers a testable hypothesis that reframes how visual habits, lighting and eye focusing interact.”

The study was published in the journal Cell Reports.

Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.