Cystic Fibrosis News Today Forums Forums Support Groups Friends and Family traveling with a baby who has CF

  • traveling with a baby who has CF

    Posted by Barbara on March 6, 2020 at 8:04 am

    Hello,
    we are planning a plane trip with our baby who has CF(she will be 6 months old at the time). Do you have any advice how to protect a baby during the flight? I read a few articles regarding plane traveling but they are more for adults nothing is written about babies…
    If you have experience with traveling with a baby who has a CF please share.

    In the airport the plan is to keep away from the crowed but we hope that she will sleep and we will be able to keep her in buggy covered. We would have disinfection gels, disinfection tissues with us etc…
    The doctor said that there is no problem for traveling, she should just wear a mask…
    What is your opinion on masks? The more I read about them the more frustrated I get, there is no good option for babies, only surgical mask which are in fact not really protective for the wearer…

    Do you think it would be maybe better to avoid plane trips as she is/will be still small? I am really thinking of canceling the trip as I have a feeling I will be really nervous in the airport and on the plane as I do not want that she catches something at such young age…

    Thank you

    Jenny Livingston replied 4 years, 7 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
  • 1 Reply
  • Jenny Livingston

    Member
    March 6, 2020 at 2:25 pm

    I can, of course, only give my thoughts from my own perspective which is that of an adult with CF, but also a mom. I don’t travel often, so my routine isn’t perfected yet, but here’s what I do to protect myself:

    1) I dose up on Airborne or Emergen-C a couple days before traveling.

    2) I always ask to pre-board with my medical equipment. I always take my meds and equipment on the plane with me, I never check them. I explain this to the attendant at the gate, and ask to board early (They have always allowed me to do this.) I then sanitize the heck out of everything! The seat, the buckle, the window, the arm rests, the little knobs for the air or tray, the tray itself. Everything.

    3) I do choose to wear a mask, but not a disposable surgical mask. I use a Vogmask or O2SafeAir mask, both of which provide more protection to the wearer.

    4) I use a lot of hand sanitizer, and when I reach my destination, I immediately do a sinus rinse to hopefully flush out anything that may have entered my sinuses.

    Since it’s your baby with CF, some of these obviously won’t apply. I don’t even know if it’s feasible for her to wear a mask, she is so young! Keeping her covered and not letting people touch her is a great idea (when my daughter was an infant, I was always shocked when strangers thought it would be okay to touch her, especially without asking). As a mom, I understand how nervous this must make you, but ultimately I think you’ll make whatever call is best for your family.

Log in to reply.