Airlines refuse to transport newborns younger than 7 days old.

During landing, children may experience ear pain due to pressure changes. There are simple ways to relieve these symptoms: have your child drink a beverage during the descent or give them gum to chew. If they have a cold, give them nose drops 30 minutes before landing.

If your child has an ear infection, seek medical advice before the departure as air travel may not be recommended.

If a toddler or a child is travelling, it is necessary that all necessary vaccinations be up-to-date (diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A and B, typhoid fever, yellow fever, meningitis, tuberculosis, rabies) depending on the destination and the conditions of the trip.

Get advice from your paediatrician at last 2 to 3 months before departure to allow time to proceed with all recommended immunisations.

Typhoid fever immunisation is not recommended for children under 2 years of age; it is not dangerous but ineffective. Be careful as immunity is acquired only 2 to 3 weeks after injection.

Yellow fever immunisation is never required for a child under the age of one. However, it is available for children at least 6 months old, or as soon as they have doubled their birth weight (if the child is at risk of exposure).

Immunisation against hepatitis A may be given to children at least one year old and the vaccination must be done at least 15 days before departure, with a booster shot six months later in order to make the vaccination valid for ten years. For toddlers younger than a year but at risk of exposure, it is possible to use immunoglobulin for a 4- to 6-month immunity.

Immunisation against meningococcal disease is not recommended before the age of 18 months. This limit can be lowered to 6 months in case of need. Immunisation is administered in a single shot; immunity is acquired ten days after the injection and lasts four years.

Immunisation against rabies is recommended for children from the age they are able to walk. When the first symptoms appear, the disease is deadly in 100% of cases, so immunisation remains crucial in terms of prevention.

Both immunisation against Japanese encephalitis and against tick-borne encephalitis are available for children at least one year of age (a half-dose is given to children between the ages of 1 and 3).

Seek advice from your paediatrician at least 2 to 3 months before departure in order to allow you to proceed with all recommended immunisations.

Children are highly susceptible to diarrhoea and gastrointestinal diseases as they do not have natural immunity, and tend to touch dirty objects; furthermore, they become dehydrated more quickly than adults.

In order to minimise the risk of diarrhoea, it is important to carefully control the food your child eats. Fruit and vegetables must be cooked or rinsed and peeled. To avoid any temptation, bring a few items with you to allow your children to snack without being tempted by outside food stands, which must be avoided. Meat and fish must be well cooked and eaten immediately after being prepared.

Always use purified water, whether to cook food, to make ice or to brush your children's teeth. Make sure you wash your hands regularly and disinfect your child's toys.

The main risk following diarrhoea is that your child becomes dehydrated, especially if the child has a fever (over 38,5°) or if he or she vomits. A dehydrated child will have the following symptoms:

It is wise to bring an oral rehydration solution. If you have not brought one with you, you will be able to find one in almost all developing countries' pharmacies. Follow the instructions carefully for preparing the solution, which must be consumed within 12 hours following its preparation, and given to the children as long as they remain dehydrated. A child or a toddler who vomits the rehydration solution will usually accept it eventually if it is given slowly with a spoon. If necessary, you can also prepare the rehydration solution yourself by diluting 6 spoons of sugar and a half spoon of salt in a litre of drinkable water.

Children are more susceptible to parasites than adults because they are more ofen in contact with the ground. It is thus crucial to have children wear shoes at all times, including in the water, and make them play on a sheet or a large towel rather than directly on the ground.

Clothes which have been dried outside must be ironed in order to avoid contamination by larvae or parasites.

Children have greater risk of exposure to animals, and are therefore at greater risk of catching rabies. Moreover, due to their small size, they can be badly bitten as their face and neck are in close range. It is essential to teach children not to get close to animals.

If a child is bitten, clean the wound with soap and water, and assess quickly whether a preventive treatment against rabies is necessary or not.

Drowning is the second most common cause of death for young travellers. It is crucial to watch your children at all times. Safety devices are not always available abroad, and it is thus recommended to bring them with you.

Water is also a vector for numerous parasites and gastric infections. It is more prudent to forbid your children to bathe in untreated water. When bathing in the sea, have them wear protective shoes so that they do not hurt their feet.

Children's skin is fragile and particularly sensitive to sunburns. The sun is especially strong close to the equator, during the middle of the day (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and when it is reflected, either by water or snow.

Regularly apply high-protection sunscreen (at least every 2 hours) and make sure your children are not exposed to the sun during the hottest hours. Have them wear hats and sunglasses to avoid sunstrokes and eye lesions.

Toddlers younger than six months must not be exposed to the sun at all because their skin is fine and highly sensitive. Cover them up, leave them in the shade and avoid putting sunscreen on their skin. Sunburn on a toddler is considered a medical emergency and requires medical advice.

Acute altitude sickness can easily go unnoticed; the child will usually complain of fatigue several hours after being at altitude.

If you are travelling to an area affected by malaria, take one of the following preventive treatments, keeping in mind that:

It is equally important to avoid mosquito bites. Note that repellents applied directly on the skin cannot be used on children due to their toxicity. Seek advice from your pharmacist to know which products are suitable for your child. If you use a spray, do not spray directly on the child's face because of the risk of inhalation; spray it on your hands and then apply it to the child's face. If you spray your children's hands, keep them from licking their fingers.

It is widely recommended to take a small first aid kit with you including:

Make sure you bring hats, sunglasses, insect repellent and a mosquito net.