Travelling to the sea

Question

Is it recommended for a child (4 years old with CF) to travel to the sea in an airplane?

Thank you.

Answer

Hello.
Air travel can only be recommended by an attending physician who knows the degree of the child with CF's lung damage. The main risks of flying are the emergence of pneumothorax and desaturation. Considering that in an airplane the air breathed has a 15 % concentration of oxygen, as opposed to the usual 21 % concentration, it could occur that a sick child would have a lack of oxygen. For this reason, it is necessary to have a detailed examination and, on the basis of this, to make a decision about the child's ability to head out on such a trip. The child should have lung function examined (spirometric examination) and possibly a hypoxemic test. At the time of the flight, the child must be in a stabilised state and without acute exacerbations of the basic disease. It is also important to take the length of the flight into consideration – shorter, direct flights without transfers are better. The child must have a report about their disease and it is important to inform the aircraft personnel that it could occur that the child would need additional oxygen during the flight.
You can find guidelines at this address: www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/Portals/0/Clinical%20Information/Air%20Travel/Guidelines/FlightRevision04.pdf

For practical advice and the experience of families who have taken flights with their children with CF, you can also contact the Cystic Fibrosis Club patient organization (more at www.cfklub.cz).

Best regards, Vera Vavrova, Libor Fila and Jitka Brazova

22.01.2009