3 Travel Considerations to Protect Your Child’s Lungs

As the weather turns warmer, many families will be thinking about vacations and traveling. While traveling with a child with SMA does require some careful consideration, having SMA doesn’t mean that you have to be confined to the house.

The British Lung Foundation has some advice for protecting your lungs while traveling and some of the things you may have to think about while planning your trip.

Transport
If traveling by bus, ferry, cruise ships, plane or train, you will need to contact the operator if your child needs to travel with oxygen. They’ll be able to advise you of their oxygen policy, what you need to bring or if you need any special equipment. You’ll need to find out if there is wheelchair access or if the travel company can provide assistance to help you and your family get on and off the vehicle.

MORE: Long-term exercise was found to benefit mice models of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), providing important clues for designing rehabilitation programs in patients.

Location
Generally speaking, places at high altitudes may cause problems for people with lung conditions as their lungs will need to work much harder to breathe. The climate may also be a factor; if it’s too hot, your child may get fatigued easily. Consider the terrain of your destination, how easy will it be to walk around or use a wheelchair?

The further away you travel, the more you may need to consider: how easy is it to get oxygen delivered to your destination? will you need additional insurance? how would you cope if your child needed medical assistance in another country?

Speak to your child’s healthcare team before planning any vacation. They’ll be able to advise you on the type of vacation your child is physically up to.

MORE: Here are eight notable people who have spinal muscular atrophy.

Medications
Take all the medications your child will require for the duration of the holiday and some extra in case of emergencies. Find out where you can have oxygen delivered from. Make a list of all the medications they need, including antibiotics for infections and keep this with you to show medical professionals if your child become ill while traveling.

MORE: Learn more about how physical and occupational therapy and rehabilitation may help to improve posture, prevent joint immobility, and slow muscle weakness and atrophy in some cases SMA.

SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.