Holiday Travel Tips

Keep your child safe with these tips when you’re driving or flying this holiday season.

Storing Medicine

• Keep medications safe and out of the hands of curious children.
  • If you are driving, keep medicine in a child-resistant container and safely secured in your bag, purse or suitcase. Keep your suitcase in the trunk of your vehicle or in another location out of children’s sight and reach.
  • If you are flying, keep your medicine in a secure bag in the overhead compartment.
  • To learn more, visit our Medication Safety page.

Car Seats and Coats

• If your child is in a car seat and is wearing a coat, make sure the harness is not too loose in case of a car accident. Follow these steps to make sure your child's coat isn't too bulky.
  • Put the coat on your child, sit him or her in the car seat and fasten the harness. Tighten the harness until you can no longer pinch any of the webbing with your thumb and forefinger.
  • Without loosening the harness at all, unhook it and remove your child from the car seat.
  • Take the coat off, put your child back in the car seat, and buckle the harness straps, which should be adjusted just as they were when the child was wearing the coat. If you can pinch the webbing between your thumb and forefinger now, then the coat is too bulky to be worn under the harness.
  • To learn more, visit our Winter Coat and Car Seat Safety page.

Healthy Snacks

• Make sure to bring nutritious snacks, like oatmeal energy bites, no-bake granola bars or something simple like fruit and string cheese to keep your child full. Find more healthy and delicious recipes from our dietitians here.

Managing Sickness

• If your child gets sick while traveling, make sure to contact your pediatrician or visit a local urgent care. If you’re in East Tennessee throughout the holidays, our five Urgent Care Centers offer immediate care for children from newborns to 21 years of age. Find a location near you here.