Medication on airplane?

[tink03]

Pixie dust and prayers needed this way. My son has just been diagnosed with Epilepsy. He is only 8 years old and this is all knew to hubby and me. We feel like it is our fault, like we did something wrong. Anyway he needs to be on medicine every 12 hours to help prevent a seizure so how do you take meds on an airplane?
Also any info on kids with Epilepsy will be greatly appreciated, thanks.


Sept 08POR Surprising my 2 sons

[disneygeek84]

I'm diabetic, not epileptic, but I know a little bit about taking medication on an airplane. Even if it's a liquid, they have to let you take it on. Make sure that the prescription label is on everything. Just put it in your carry-on and you'll be fine. I flew to England right after 9/11 and didn't get stopped for having syringes with me (Even though I had a note from my doctor with me). I flew last year, too, and didn't get stopped for having the insulin in my backpack, even though you're not supposed to have liquid with you on the plane. But I have to in order to stay alive. But my prescription label was on absolutely every single medication that I had with me (which is unfortunately a lot). If you're still nervous, get a note from your doctor stating that he has to have it with him at all times.

I don't have any tips for having an epileptic child, but I truly am sorry to hear about your news. Sending his way for a great trip!

[MuchLovedMama]

I hate to hear that. My son also has Epilepsy. He's 5 1/2. He had his first seizure at 3 1/2 & it was beyond scary. He was eating & when it happened we thought he was choking. Called 911 & all that only to later find out that it was a seizure & he had another one 6 weeks later. Very mild that time. It's been just about 2 years & he hasn't had any since that 2nd one.

We opted out of putting him on meds though because of all the testing & side effects. If he were to start having them again & it was more then just one every few months I'm sure we'd do the meds. I guess it never really goes away so we can't say that he doesn't have it anymore. I guess some people can go 15+ years before they ever have any more. Sounds crazy to me.

I'm worried about taking him to Disney next month but I guess a lot of the problems that trigger a seizure are flashing lights. Luckily that isn't the case with my son. When they done his EEG test they test several different areas to see where they see "epileptic activity" & during the flashing lights portion it didn't happen with him so I'm hoping we are o.k. there.

Hoping all goes well for you & our sons & that they don't have any more seizures.

[Zippy 1]

When taking his prescription meds on the plane just make sure they are in the original container and put all meds in a 1 quart ziploc bag. We do that with my daughters meds and have had no problems. We even flew internationally. Both of my sisters girls are epilectic(sp?). They are 2 and 5. She has found that keeping them well rested helps. There is alot of information on the internet. My sister just keeps reading and has also joined a support group where she lives. Have a wonderful trip and I hope your son does well

[BrerGnat]

First of all, don't blame yourself! A condition like epilepsy is NOT your fault. The best thing you can do for your son is to learn as much as you can about his particular form of epilepsy so that you can learn (and teach him) how to control it and handle any episodes that come up. I know it must be hard trying to deal with something like this, but you have to remember that it's not a death sentence. Epilepsy is a manageable condition, and with your help, your son will be just fine. My youngest cousin was just diagnosed with epilepsy at 11 years old and her father is a doctor! So, don't beat yourself up about *just* learning that your son has this. Apparently, my cousin had been having seizures her whole life, and her parents never realized it, and it took a soccer injury to the head (where she had to get a CAT scan and MRI done) and then they saw all kinds of old damage to her brain from all the seizures she's had previously. She's been on medications for about 6 months now and she's doing just fine. No bad side effects at all, so I'm sure your son will be okay.

Second of all, is the medicine a liquid or pills? I am assuming it's a liquid since you asked about taking it on a plane. If it's pills, no problem, just make sure it's in the original prescription bottle with your son's name on it and take it in your CARRY ON BAG!!! DO NOT CHECK MEDICATION IN A CHECKED BAG...EVER!!! Now might be a good time to get your son a state issued ID card, since he will have to always carry prescription medicines with him on flights, and if necessary, they may ask to match the name on the prescription with a gov't ID card. You can get one from your state's DMV for free, usually, for kids. You could also get him a passport, which is a MUST if he will ever travel abroad, especially with prescription meds.

If the medication is a liquid, and it needs to be refrigerated, the best thing to do is get an insulated bag made to keep baby bottles cold. You can find them at places like Babies R Us or Target. They are good because they are small. You can also just use an insulated lunch bag,and a separate ice pack, but those are sometimes too big. The bags they make to keep baby bottles cold have the chill mechanism built in, and you put the whole bag in the freezer overnight and then it stays cold for like 6 hours. That will be long enough for the trip down to FL from NJ. As mentioned, liquid medications are excluded from the "list" of banned liquids on airplanes. As long as it's a prescription, in the original bottle, and the passenger whose name is on the bottle is flying with a boarding pass in his name, it's all good. Be aware, though, they WILL check that, and they are VERY strict about it. They sometimes require that your son actually physically carry the liquid through the security checkpoint (in his own "bin"). Seriously, I've seen this happen with a child who must have been, like, 5 years old.

What you need to be most prepared for is the following:

1. Make sure your son has proper ID for the airport. (photo ID is best, birth certificate will be okay, I think, as a second resort for a kid that age).

2. Make sure you take with you to WDW your son's doctor's phone number. Also, check with your health insurance company NOW to see which hospitals/doctors, urgent care, etc. you *could* go to if the need arises. Write down the address of the nearest urgent care to WDW. You don't want to be in a situation where you have to make that decision and then end up somewhere that is not covered by your insurance.

3. Be prepared to have fun! Don't let this put a damper on your upcoming trip! Have a great time and don't let this run your lives at all. Good luck with everything and let us know how your trip went.

[Mickey'sGirl]

Pixie dust and prayers needed this way. My son has just been diagnosed with Epilepsy.

Just sending a your way. My second brother is Epileptic (he is now 43). It took a while for the doctors to figure out his meds properly when he was a kid (his skin and mouth became very heat and light sensitive -- but this is 30 years ago! ) but he has been almost completely seizure free for the past 20 years (he had one when his meds were being adjusted about 10 years ago). He travels and gets out and about and lives life and works and has a fiance (has had 3 in fact!). Epilepsy is nobody's fault, it is just how it is. Blaming yourselves will not help your son to adjust to his life with Epilepsy. At the risk of sounding harsh, my best advice to you is to accept it and figure out what you need to do going forward to help him. You don't need added stress, nor does he. Brernat has some great pointers, and I agree that being prepared is your best plan!

Our family travels with many prescription medications for our various ailments, and I have always bundled them together by patient in zip loc bags in their original containers. We always travel with both Motrin and Tylenol liquids for our DS4, as he has had a febrile seizure and is at risk for more. We need to be able to medicate him should he display any signs of fever. Liquids, tablets or capsules, we have never been questioned by anyone.

I hope you all have a fabulous holiday!

[merlinmagic4]

I'm sorry to hear about your son.

We have always carried numerous medications and most of them were/are liquid and in bigger containers than can fit in a quart size bag. I put them in a gallon bag and have had no problems. They have never asked my son for identification but I suppose it would be a good idea to have some. Definitely carry all of your meds with you and not in checked baggage; if they lose your bags - uh oh!

Have a great surprise trip! It sounds like you all deserve it

[disneyfan328]

I don't know much about epilipsy, but prayers and pixie dust are coming your way.

As for meds on the airplane - My son and I are both severe asthmatics ( allergies too lucky us ) and between us and my daughters allergy medicine along with the nebulizer machine we had one whole carry on that was nothing but the machine extra tubing for it and our meds. Some are liquid, some are pills, many are inhalers. We did put the bottles of liquid in baggies, but only because we thought that they could spill ect and didn't want a mess. I carried that bag and had a note from the dr. and had everyting (including over the counter meds like advil and benadryl in their original containers. I declared the whole bag to the security officer and had no problems at all. They looked through it pulled out the machine briefly, gave me a quick smile as if to say they knew what it was and we were on our way. The disney flashlights in our kids' carry ons caused more of a delay!!!!

I also second the never pack meds in your checked luggage.