Holiday Recommendations for Families with Children in the New Normal

Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has begun to come under control in our country. As a family, we have even started planning holidays to get out of this suffocating situation. Although the virus is less common and milder in children than in adults, how to plan a holiday with our children has been on everyone's mind these days. Acıbadem Kozyatağı Hospital Pediatrician Dr. Elif Köşeli Şahin points out that it is not the coronavirus itself but rather the anxiety it creates that harms families and children. She says: "To prevent this anxiety related to coronavirus in both family members and children from becoming chronic and turning into mental illness, we should stop being afraid, strictly follow only the recommended precautions, and continue with our lives. We can use this summer holiday as an opportunity to improve our mental health as a family." However, in controlled social life, there are certain rules we need to follow during the holiday to protect ourselves as much as possible from a second wave. Acıbadem Kozyatağı Hospital Pediatrician Dr. Elif Köşeli Şahin explained 10 precautions you should take when holidaying with your child and provided important warnings.

Choose quiet places

The most important thing we need to pay attention to this year on holiday should be maintaining social distance. Therefore, for a holiday with your child, it would be beneficial to choose quiet places where fewer people can be, rather than crowded locations. If you are going to a seaside holiday destination, whenever possible choose blue flag beaches or places where you are confident about beach cleanliness. If you will spend your holiday at a facility, do not forget to ask before making a reservation whether the place you will stay is child-friendly.

Travel in your own vehicle

Taking your own vehicle instead of public transport like planes and buses to your holiday reduces the risk of virus transmission. Dr. Elif Köşeli Şahin, who warns "It should not be forgotten that continuous breathing through a mask during long journeys can cause fainting in hot weather," adds: "If there is only your own family in the vehicle, just as there is no disadvantage to using air conditioning in your home, there is no problem with running the vehicle's air conditioning. However, make sure the air does not come directly to the babies or children."

Prefer the sea to swimming pools

When it comes to summer holidays, one of the most loved activities is swimming. Dr. Elif Köşeli Şahin, who states "The virus is expelled from the body through feces for several weeks. Although there is no clear evidence yet about the infectiousness of feces, it would be safer for you to prefer the sea over shared swimming pools," continues: "Although there are some views that chlorination inactivates the virus and therefore pools are safe, we can say that chlorine in that concentration is not particularly beneficial for babies and children."

Continue hand washing

We must not forget that hand washing is the most protective measure against all diseases and we need to maintain this habit during the holiday. Therefore, make sure your child washes their hands properly for 20 seconds: after getting out of the vehicle, before and after using the toilet, before and after meals, and after touching shared equipment at pools, beaches, and playgrounds.

Masks are very risky for children under 2 years old

Pediatrician Dr. Elif Köşeli Şahin emphasizes another important point regarding children: "Wearing masks is very risky, especially in children under 2 years of age. Because due to different respiratory physiology in this age group, wearing a mask can lead to extremely dangerous consequences such as suffocation."

Exercise together

Due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, all family members have been relatively inactive in recent months. Since sedentary living is one of the leading factors that weaken the immune system, during summer holidays it is very important to set aside time to exercise regularly with your child (cycling, swimming, walking, and all other sports activities you can do with your child).

Maintain sleep routine

Pediatrician Dr. Elif Köşeli Şahin emphasizes that you should maintain your child's sleep routine with the same care during the holiday period, saying: "Because going to bed late and waking up late, and a disrupted sleep cycle, negatively affects the immune system."

Red and purple fruits are very important

Pediatrician Dr. Elif Köşeli Şahin points out that you should continue your child's eating routine in the same way during the holiday, saying: "Do not skip meals during the holiday, avoid eating the same type of food, prepare all food groups balanced in your meals. Keeping in mind that your child has also been inactive during the pandemic, also avoid excessive consumption of pastries and fast food." Dr. Elif Köşeli Şahin reminds that due to their antioxidant and immune system strengthening effects, you should definitely include red and purple colored seasonal fruits such as blueberries, mulberries, cherries, strawberries, grapes, and plums—which are easily available in summer months—in your child's daily diet.

Do not wait for thirst before giving water

To protect your child from the potentially harmful effects of heat and weather changes in summer, never neglect giving plenty of water without waiting for them to be thirsty.

Get 30 minutes of sun daily

To benefit from the various positive effects of sunlight, particularly vitamin D, make sure your child gets sun on their face, neck, arms, and legs for about 30 minutes daily without sunscreen," says Dr. Elif Köşeli Şahin, and explains which times are suitable for sun exposure: "Midday hours when the sun is directly overhead have extremely harmful effects on children's skin. In the morning and late afternoon hours, the sun's rays come at too steep an angle, making it impossible to get sufficient benefit from the sun. For this reason, you can choose between 10:30-11:00 or 14:00-15:00 hours for sun exposure for your child."