For children on the go, fewer smartphones and tablets‘digital pacifiers’, enemies of sociality and health on the move (staring at them can trigger car sickness and other forms of motion sickness), and more dialogue with mom and dad: a moment to consolidate the parent-child relationship with family stories and life tales. All in the spirit of joy and lightheartedness, key ingredients for a successful holiday. As the August exodus approaches, we can summarize it like this Advice from pediatrician Italo Farnetani. Which first of all recommends “laughter and serenity”, recalling “a simple truth-sentence: when parents are well, children are well too“, the expert explains to Adnkronos Salute.
“It is such a consolidated concept – underlines the full professor of Pediatrics at the Ludes-United Campus of Malta University – that it guides the assignment of Green Flags that mark the child-friendly beaches chosen by almost 3,000 Italian and foreign pediatricians. So it also has a scientific value”, specifies Farnetani who is the ‘dad’ of the Green Flags. “Therefore my number one suggestion to parents is to be the first to live with joy the period of the long-awaited holidays, putting aside the anxieties and worries, but also the fatigue of the journey. It is a moment – the doctor points out – in which mothers and fathers must instead convey happiness and securityso as to ‘infect’ their children, erasing any fears that the little ones may have regarding the new environment they will find far from home”. And since the trip is already a vacation, it is precisely during the trip that we must begin to build this climate of serene complicity.
“Regardless of the means of transport and the duration of the transfer”, Farnetani says “no to smartphones and tablets” not only to avoid, at least during the holidays, the digital isolation that threatens the new generations, but also to prevent motion sickness or motion sickness. “Staring at a screen” – and “this also applies to other objects including books, board games, markers or crayons for drawing” – warns the pediatrician, risks sending “the labyrinth, the internal structure of the ear that maintains balance, into a tailspin”. The labyrinth, explains the expert, “processes the reference points that the eye sees and sends messages to the body as if it were a biological satellite navigator. If while we are moving we direct our gaze at a stationary object we deceive the labyrinth”, the balance goes out and nausea sets in. For the child it is much better to “look out the window” and “we try to involve him in the conversation choosing topics of interest. Current affairs such as the Olympics – suggests the doctor – adventures of friends or schoolmates, stories of famous people, but also family anecdotes. A perfect way to strengthen the parent-child bond too”.
Against car sickness, air sickness and seasickness, Farnetani continues, “we should also favour dry foods that reduce fluids in the stomach: small pizzas or schiacciatine are good, children love them, while it is better to avoid sweet foods”. Another travel tip: “Avoid covering small children too much. By sweating less they disperse less heat, so they should dress lightly, not more covered than adults, if anything less”.
As for the Preferred means of transport when traveling with children, “the choice between car, train, plane or ship, compatible with the economic needs of the families – the specialist points out – depends on which of these means, based on the destination to be reached, guarantees the fastest travel. For long trips” the doctor would lean towards “the plane: it is good for all ages, even for newborns, and pregnant women can take it. The only contraindication is for children with respiratory diseases, because the air in flight is obviously dry. A survey by the group of pediatricians who manage the research for the assignment of the Green Flags, conducted in Calabria which is the Italian region with the highest number of beaches suitable for children – Farnetani reports – has revealed not only that parents tend to use the plane for travel, but they also choose locations close to airports and this is a habit to be recommended. As well as that of renting a car already at the airport”, always to reduce the duration of sports.
The pediatrician closes as he began: “Transmit the joy of the holiday always – he urges – during the trip as well as throughout the stay. In fact, it would be good to start talking about it with emphasis from the days before departure, so as to create a positive expectation and a climate of serenity that is the antidote to any form of stress”.
#Traveling #kids #smartphones #stories #laughter
