ingrid

Okay, I've checked with my pediatrician here (she doesn't know), I checked with the ski school in Breckenridge, CO (they say, don't worry). Here is the problem:
Four years ago, my daughter had a pretty bad case of altitude sickness in Copper (the first couple of days she was hooked up to oxygen around the clock, the rest of the week she went skiiing and used oxygen at night).
Question: If you've had altitude sickness once, will you get it again? At the time, she was 6 and had a slight case of the colds when we arrived (at that point in her life, colds triggered slight asthma). Does anybody have any experience? I've only heard from people who were fine on their annual visits and then, all of a sudden, the next time developed altitude sickness.
Thanks!

travellyn

I'm not an expert on more severe forms of altitude sickness, but many people who get milder forms suffer from it almost every time they move higher than a certain altitude. For example, some people might start feeling like they have the flu at about 8000 feet and others might get severe headaches above 10,000.

I wonder if her illness was triggered by the asthma attack and had more to do with asthma than true altitude sickness. It might be worth getting her hospital records and checking with a pulmonologist or a physician who specializes in wilderness safety.

Joanne

I agree that you should check your daughter's records to find out whether she actually had altitude sickness. Respiratory problems are not usually associated with altitude sickness; more common symptoms are headache, upset stomach, dizziness, weakness, and difficulty sleeping.

Also, kids grow up a lot between age 6 and 10. Without further medical info, I would just keep an eye on her and take it very easy the first day or two, while adjusting.

Suzie

Actually respitory distress is one of the types of altitude sickness it's called HAPE HIgh Altitude Pulmonary Edema. The cure for altitude sickness is immediate descent.

Sheila

My husband can only go to a certain altitude until he begins having trouble breathing. The last time it happened we were going up to the volcano in Maui.

m.d

It's disconcerting that your daughter was sick enough to require oxygen, possibly due to altitude sickness or otherwise and no one suggested or insisted she be brought to a lower altitude. There is something missing in this report.
To answer your question, if you have altitude sickness at a certain level then you are likely to experience it again at that level.

Joanne

Please accept my apologies for the apparent misinformation. I think it's a matter of definition. I was thinking of HAPE (edema) as a complication of alittude sickness.

ingrid

Some background: She threw up in front of the medical station in Copper; I took her inside where they checked her oxygen levels. They were bad enough to warrant her to be hooked up to an oxygen machine with a 35 feet long hose, so she could walk around in the condo. They kept on monitoring her oxygen levels daily, which had improved enough after two days, to only keep her on at night (to make her sleep better). During the day she skiied.
There are degrees of altitude sickness. Yes, if it's really bad, you need to descent. However, it never reached that point. She actually seemd okay. If she ahdn't thrown up it would have never occurred to me to take her to the physicians.

judith

ingrid, please take your daughter on a vacation that is safer for her next time. you can ski at lower levels or maybe do something else. this sounds like torture. i couldn't go through something like that with a child.

Lisa

How about posting your question on a medical site? Or do a word search on google?

Just curious tho, once she had to get some oxygen, why on earth didn't you all pack up and go home? Was the vacation that important or am I missing something here?

NO, I am not being mean. I'm the mom of a young girl and I can't imagine staying at a vacation when the kid needs oxygen "around the clock".

ingrid

Okay, I just called the Medical Center of Summit County, Colorado and talked to a nurse. She told me that the past case of altitude sickness does not necessarily predict that it will happen again, particularly since my daughter is 4 years older now. For more info on altitude sickness, check http://www2.colorado.net/medcenter/a....html#altitude

And MD, are you sure you are an MD?

lisa

Remember the nurse said it "does not necessarily" predict whether it will happen again. This isn't a definative answer...

Sure hope you don't make her go thru that again if she does happen to experience the altitude sickness.

judith

i am a grownup and i got altitude sickness at the grand canyon, 7,000 feet, and it was worse the next year. IT WAS NOT FUN. i learned be more careful.

are you dragging your little girl around for her benefit or yours? why are you calling nurses and using web sites for opinions? keep her out of high altitudes until she is old enough to go by herself and make her own decisions please. poor thing.

Jeanette

Ingrid, please take your daughter to another location to ski. Breckenridge is the one of the very highest locations. I have a girlfriend with your philosophy who tried again, and they had to carry her down the second time. There are lots of other places with lower altitudes.

ingrid

We're going to Maine; however, I honestly don't think that you have a right to tell me that I'm "torturing" my daughter. I was asking for people's experience after previous altitude sickness. Also, if you check the medical websites, you will find that oxygen is the safest remedy (rather than taking medication) and that 30-40% of people experience altitude sickness (they usually don't go the doctor for feeling nauseous) and sure could benefit from oxygen therapy.
Thanks for the people who tried to asnwer my question instead of accusing me of being a selfish and wicked mom. Hope that this made you feel better!

Bob Brown

I have no answers, only questions.
How well does the person who had the bad experience perform when doing aerobic excercises at home?
Have you talked to a pulmonologist about checking lung functions?
I never thought much about the problem until I got sick last December and temporarily lost some of my lung capacity and had my oxygen absorption capacity reduced.
(Regained now, had no problem driving over an 8,000 foot high mountain pass in September.)

Joanne

Ingrid, did you just say you were going to MAINE? LOL, the tallest peak in Maine is about 5200 feet, forget it, you have nothing to worry about. Nobody has ever gotten altitude sickness in New England, LOL!

In your first post, you said you had checked with the ski school in Breckenridge, so we all assumed that that was where you're going!

ItsMe

Hi Ingrid,

Skiing is a wonderful way to spend time with your family, and I would encourage you to take your daughter skiing again if she enjoys it (as most kids do).

From my experience, altitude sickness is not predictable or consistent. I live in Boulder, Colorado, and travel frequently to higher elevations to hike and ski. I've had altitude sickness in varying degrees several times in my life, and there are steps you can take to prevent and minimize the effects of it.

These are the tips I've heard of and implemented with success: drink lots of water (and I mean lots- we drink at least two liters a day and bring a small water bottle or flask of water with on the hill while skiing), do not eat fatty foods before or during your trip (it does make a difference though I have no idea why), and give yourself and your daughter time to acclimate (that means no skiing the first day).

Usually tourists who come here to ski do none of the above, and then complain of nausea, headaches and dizziness. Most of it could probably be prevented.

Have a wonderful vacation in Maine, but consider coming to ski in Colorado again someday!

steve

There are many factors leading to altitude sickness. Some people will have the same problems each time they return to the same altitude. Others learn from their mistakes. Although your daughter could do well on her next trip, I would agree with those above on picking another destination slightly lower.
Asthma may have contributed to her increased sensitivity on her last trip. More rapid respiration will blow off carbon dioxide faster and make one more prone to dehydration. The quick change in altitude by getting off a plane and driving to Summit County is certainly more abrupt than driving into the area and gradually adjusting.
If in doubt about altitude sickness, one is better off getting to lower altitude.
Next time (if there is one) take time to acclimate, have her drink lots of fluids, make sure her asthma is well controlled (consider inhaled steroids prior since dry; air can trigger bronchospasm. Consider having her wear a small motocross style mask or neoprene mask to keep the air warmer on inhaltion, make sure your room has a humidifier and run it and the shower often.
Oldr folks can adk their doctor for Diamox ( a sulfa medication) that can help limit CO2 loss and lessen the symptoms.

ingrid

Bob,
to answer your question: unfortunately, your degree of fitness at home is not related to altitude sickness.
Thanks to its.me and Steve! That was the info I was looking for. The nurse I talked to in Breckenridge suggested to stay overnight in Denver, should we want to go to Colorado again. In fact, she said that a lot of people who live in CO do this when returning after a trip to lower altitudes. My daughter doesn't have asthma anymore (fortunately, she outgrew it). She was under the care of a pediatric pulmologist during the time she had asthma as well as on prophylactic steroids during the winter.
I think we'll probably try a summer trip to Colorado sometime with slowly acclimatizing in Denver or the foothills; at least we won't have to deal with cold air as a (potential)trigger.
Apparently, altitude sickness is related to lots of factors (which may change from time to time, even for the same individual) as Bob experienced on his drive across, and it's hard to predict how one will react the next time. best to take the recommended precautions.