Rod's Question:

Jordan, Brett, and Chad Carroll

We are planning a family trip to Colorado Springs and will be driving up to Pike's Peak. We have a three-month-old. Should we be concerned about altitude sickness with an infant?

Rod Carroll
Frisco, Texas

Alice's Answer:

First of all, congratulations on your new arrival! As for your question, you ask a good and important one. For a definitive answer, I turned to my friend Buck Tilton of the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS. Not only does he know the scoop on wilderness medical issues, he's a dad himself who lives in Pitkin, Colorado.

	Alice Cary Alice introduced her oldest child, Will, to the outdoors at a very early age by climbing New Hampshire's Mt. Washington—in winter—while pregnant. And she and her family haven't stopped experiencing the joys of outdoor adventure, even with newborn twins. Meet Alice Answer Archive Family Forums

The good news is that your trip to Colorado Springs should be no problem.

The bad news is that your visit to Pikes Peak could be. Buck warns: "My advice would be to not take an infant up Pikes Peak."

He adds: "When visiting any significant altitude with an infant — an altitude of more than 8,000 feet when the baby was born much lower — watch for somnolence and bluish skin, signs the baby needs more oxygen, signs the baby needs a lower altitude."

Sounds to me like the Pikes Peak trip may not be worth the possible problems for your newborn.

Additional warning signs of altitude sickness for travelers of any age are:

		General fatigue
		Headache
		Loss of appetite
		Insomnia

Drinking plenty of fluids and spending a few days adjusting to a new altitude can help ward off adverse effects.

If you want to delve deeper into the subject, check out:

		GORP Hiking Expert Karen Berger's article, How To Stay Alive Up High.
		A GORP feature on Acute Mountain Sickness.
		Another medical opinion on babies and altitude.

Happy traveling to you and your good-looking crew. May your vacation be full of many safe highs!

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