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Helpful Tips for Families
| Tips for Families & Kids |
- When taking babies and toddlers on a ski holiday, you will need to take special precautions against the altitude, sun and cold.
- As you drive up to the resort, the rapid drop in air pressure may cause problems for a young child’s ears. Take a 15 minute break on the road up to the resort, and give young children a drink or something to suck to help them equalise the pressure in their ears.
- Paediatrician Nathalie Blot suggests not taking a child under one to above 1200m altitude. A baby may suffer acclimatisation problems due to the drop in air pressure and decrease in oxygen level. Avoriaz lies at 1800m, and a baby cannot always equalise the pressure in his or her ears as easily as an adult. The local doctor recommends taking the journey up the mountain to the resort slowly.
- She strongly advises against taking any child under three years on a gondola lift as they find the changes in altitude too sudden.
- The cold is another danger for very small children, whose temperature regulation systems are not yet fully developed. Waterproof boots, good quality mittens and ears protection are essential to protect from frostbite. Do not take a baby skiing with you on your back – immobilised, he will quickly lose heat, and the risk of collisions or falls on the piste is always present.
- Remember children lose heat faster than adults so dress according to the weather conditions and make provision for it changing - hats, waterproofs and gloves are essentials. Helmets are recommended for skiing and boarding too.
- Remember to protect your child's eyes and skin from the sun - not only are the infra-red and UV rays less filtered by the atmosphere at altitude, but 85% of the rays are reflected by the snow. Use category 3 or 4 UV sunglasses/goggles, and reapply SPF30 suncream at least every two hours.
- It's a good idea to have a contact phone number and address in your child's pocket in case you become separated on the mountain.
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last updated 7-Apr-2008 |
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