By Ellie Kuykendall Careful planning is the key to enjoying holiday travel when you have asthma. Here are some tips to help make your holiday trip more enjoyable. General Preparation - Pack all your asthma medicine in your purse or carry-on bag and take enough medication to last longer than your trip in case of delays.
- Take a written asthma control plan and include your doctor's phone number.
- Carry all your health insurance information. Go online and get local pharmacy, physician and hospital information to add to your list.
Traveling By Car - To clear dust mites and molds, turn on the air conditioning (yes, air conditioning, not heater) in your car at least ten minutes before leaving.
- If you can travel in the early morning or evening, there will be less air pollution.
- Close your windows to prevent pollution from entering the car.
Traveling by Air - If you're traveling abroad, book flights on airlines which prohibit smoking.
- If you need oxygen, arrange with the airline ahead of time.
- Airline food may cause severe asthma attacks. Make sure you take injectable epinephrine with you.
- Take a saline nasal spray to help combat the dry air in the plane.
Lodging Tips - Dust mites make your life miserable, so stay only in hotels or other lodging that is immaculate.
- Take your own synthetic pillow and avoid lodging with feather comforters or pillows.
- Avoid staying with friends or families who have indoor pets.
- Watch what you eat while staying anywhere. Avoid eating allergy-triggering foods, and give your family or friends a list of your food allergies ahead of time so they can plan meals accordingly.
When you follow the above suggestions, your holiday trip will be much more pleasurable. Leave your everyday stresses at home and have a great time! |
