Do not aim too high on a mountain tour with children

Christine Albert studied German linguistics and literature as well as Scandinavian studies at the Albert Ludwigs University in Freiburg. She is currently doing a traineeship at Hubert Burda Media and is writing, among other things, for

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Even if the child is otherwise a whirlwind, its energy reserves are quickly used up when climbing a mountain. An expert explains which height is suitable from which age.

Take a lot of breaks

When parents go on a mountain excursion with their children, they should take plenty of breaks with plenty of drinks and snacks. Because the little ones' urge to move hides the fact that they use up their reserves faster than adults, warns Hermann Josef Kahl from the Association of Pediatricians (BVKJ).

If you climb too quickly, children could develop altitude sickness. This can occur from an altitude of around 2000 to 2500 meters when the body can no longer properly adapt to the pressure conditions and the lack of oxygen. Then the brain and other tissues are less well supplied. It becomes life-threatening when pulmonary or brain edema occurs. Then the only thing that helps is a rapid supply of oxygen and medication - but above all, removal from a height.

Signs of altitude sickness

Possible signs of altitude sickness: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness and weakness. Changed eating or gaming behavior and abnormal breathing are also possible warning signs. Paying attention to such complaints is particularly important in younger children, as they are not as good at expressing themselves. If children are currently suffering from a respiratory infection, a heart defect or a chronic lung disease, they are particularly at risk, warns Kahl, who is also a pediatric cardiologist.

If parents stay in a hut, they are only allowed to spend the night with their children under two years of age under an altitude of 2000 meters, and for children between two and ten years of age under 3000 meters. Exhausting high-altitude hikes are only suitable for young people from around 14 years of age.

If children can sit stably, they can go on small mountain excursions with the child carrier when they are around one to three years old, according to the advice of the German Alpine Club. Children between the ages of three and six should hike a maximum of about three hours. For schoolchildren between the ages of six and ten, the tours should last a maximum of five hours. (approx / dpa)

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