Toddlers ears on plane?

[plutosmyfav]

This will be my DS (2 1/2 yo) first plane trip. I'm worried about him getting ear pressure pain. What tips are there to help release the pressure (the rest of us chew gum). Any advice?

Thanks
PlutosMyFav

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

I used to get my DS's to drink from a feeding cup - one that required a lot of 'sucking'. From what i recall there has only been one occassion where one of them was distressed. The other times they were fine.

 

[plutosmyfav]

thanks! I wonder if a bottle would work (he still takes a bottle at nightime and this will be a nightime flight).

 

[Ithastobe]

I asked our pedetrician and he said to give them a sippy cup to suck on. He also recommended we give them some tylenol before we take off, and another after the time elapses.

Not sure why he said that, and not sure that we will do this (we leave Sat)., but that is what he said when I asked him...

 

[cinmell]

Try a bottle or a sippy cup. My daughter has a bad ear history so we gave her motrin before we boarded to help her with the pain. A pacifier would be good if your child uses one.

 

[dcedwards]

Our pediatrician recommened Tylenol or Motrin also. They had us give it to him 1/2 hour prior to boarding the airplane. Then recommended they either sip on a sippy cup that requires lots of sucking (a new one is best) or a bottle. We haven't had any problems and he has a history of ear trouble.

 

[disney funseeker]

Plutosmyfav

My sister-in-law had mentioned using a product called "earplanes" for her son who used to get ear pain when flying. It worked great. No more pain. They are like an earplug idea but of course more complex concept than that.

The product website explains how they work. I think if you type in earplanes you'll get on to the company site.
Also there have been excellent reviews on this forum about "earplanes" If you do a search and type in earplanes, you can read through them.

Last year I bought some for the entire family. They come in child and adult sizes. My 3yr old kept them in. My 18month old did not. But for those of us who used it I'd have to say it works.

The earplanes are good for use only a couple of times. I think it was good for 2 take-offs and 2 landings. after that, there's no guarantee they'll work. They weren't expensive at all.

If your son is definitely going to have a problem then I recommend them, otherwise a sippy cup or candy to suck on should be good enough.

 

[twinz]

I am not sure if this is good for toddlers but it might help someone else. On our most recent trip to FL we all got very bad pains in our ears ( I think mine were the worst!), I ended up asking the flight attendent, and she told me to try non-drowsy SUDAFED. She said there is a child's type too (chewable tablets that taste like orange candies). She said to take it a bout a half hour before you fly, and you should be ok. We all took it, and I had some plugging but no real severe pain. The kids had no plugging at all. Good luck.
Leslie

 

[plutosmyfav]

all these posts are so helpful. Thank you so much!

I did a search for earplanes and bookmarked the site. I think I will try the non drowsy sudafed and earplanes for DD (13) she had a terrible time last time we flew. DS might wear the earplanes, but I'll do the motrin beforehand just in case. And bring a sippy cup.

This board is so helpful

 

[Gigashadow]

We have always used Dimetapp for flights and car trips involving pressure differences. Childrens Dimetapp Elixir's decongestant aids the draining of the Eustachian Tubes which prevents the painful build up of fluid against the eardrum and inner ear. This trick works for our children and we checked with thier Doctor first.
And yes it makes them drowsy, but it helps them sleep on the plane too.

When ever asking for advice from other peoples experience, always consult your/thier Doctor about doses or possible side effects. Better safe then sorry.

Good Luck!

 

[Disneyolic]

We'll be traveling via plane next month with our 2 sons (ages 3 and 17 months). The doc also recommended Tylenol and sippy cups. I had read about Benadryl helping and asked the doc about that and she said that was fine except sometimes antihistamines have a reverse side affect and make your child hyperactive. She suggested the Tylenol for the first leg of the flight and if that didn't work then to try the other. We have two 2-hour legs of flight down to Ft Myers. I heard about the Earplanes too and will check into them.

 

[dcedwards]

Gigashadow is absolutely right in checking with your doc or pediatrician first. In regards to the benedryl or sudafed our pediatrician recommended that if we thought we were going to use that a couple days before to give the child a dose of it and see how they react. That way you will know before you get on the airplane. If they turn hyper then that probably isn't an option you want to explore. If it makes them drowsy ... well that might be an option you want to explore. But, be sure to check with your doc prior to doing anything.

 

[disney funseeker]

plutosmyfav

I wrote earlier about Earplanes and still highly recommended them.
Just wanted to add a note about other medications.
I agree with those who said to ask a doctor beforehand or to test something beforehand on your kids.

Before we flew, I bought the non-drowsy childrens chewable Sudafed that tastes like orange candy to see how my dd would react. Well, she made a face and was in tears after a few bites. It smelled so good but tasted awful. I know, because I thought she was overdramatizing and tried it. She was absolutely right. We both spit it out so I never got to find out whether she might have got a bit drowsy with them.

Good luck with whatever you decide to try.

 

[SheriB]

My DS11 has had a problem with his ears since he was born (had tubes put in, etc.). The only thing that ever helped him was the earplanes. You can give a baby, toddler, small child something to suck on, but on our last flight home in July, there were, no lie, 5 small children under 3 yrs. old, all of them had something to chew or suck on, and all 5 of them cried in pain whenever the pressure in the cabin changed. Some people were very annoyed, but I felt horrible for these kids, having been through it with my DS. Depending on the age of your child, if you can get them to keep the earplanes in, they are a blessing! Last year my DS tried to go without them, and was in tears from the pain. I will never fly without them again.

Sheri

 

[donaldduck1967]

tylenol and take 2 plastic cups and cover and hold them over his/her ears during takeoff and landing

 

[corrus]

Great Countdown

But HOW??


Thanks

 

[NotUrsula]

Chewing or sucking does not clear ears; swallowing does. (The reason that adults think sucking works is that when you chew gum or eat hard candy, your mouth fills with excess saliva, which you swallow, which pops your ears. Pacifiers don't always have the same effect.) Give the child a bottle or sippy cup to drink from during both takeoff and landing; that will be the best preventative.

If you give a child a drug to prevent ear pain, the drug should be a type of decongestant. Antihistamines will usually cause drowsiness, but they don't do anything at all to prevent pressure buildup in the ears. The best decongestant for preventing ear pain is one that also contains the ingredient guaifenesin. Guaifenesin is not actually a decongestant, it's an expectorant, but it is what it does that counts. It causes mucous in the sinuses to become more thin and watery, which allows it to drain freely away through the eustachian tubes. Giving a pain killer is fine if the object is to lessen the pain, but it won't do anything to prevent the cause of the pain.

I'm a bit of an expert on ear pain, unfortunately. I have a condition that causes continual fluid buildup in my inner ear, and I have to take precautions when I fly. I always take guaifensen and use a cortisone nasal spray 30 minutes before boarding, but I also take a sport bottle of water on board and make it a point to drink during takeoff and landing.

 

[TandyR]

I swear by EarPlanes for myself and my girls. They cost $6 for a pair at the local drugstore...less at Walmart more at the airports. My girls are now 6 and 2.5 years, but they both used them for their first WDW trip when they were 5 years and 13 months (Make sure to get the children's size that says for ages 1 and up).

 

[plutosmyfav]

Originally posted by NotUrsula

I'm a bit of an expert on ear pain, unfortunately. I have a condition that causes continual fluid buildup in my inner ear, and I have to take precautions when I fly. I always take guaifensen and use a cortisone nasal spray 30 minutes before boarding, but I also take a sport bottle of water on board and make it a point to drink during takeoff and landing.

I'm sorry to hear you are an expert!!! Do you suffer frequent swimmer's ear? My DS (13) seems to get it everytime she swims (and sometimes in the winter just from showering). She claims the preventative drops you use before and after swimming sting too much and ear plugs don't work well. After reading your post I realize I need to be thinking about this, too for swimming at WDW. Any thoughts, suggestions.

Thanks everyone for so much valuable input.

PlutosMyFav

 

[Gillian]

This may get as much disapproval as drugging your kid, but I gave my 2 yo son gerber fruit snacks during takoff & landing. They come in a box of little packets in the baby food aisle. It's almost like pure sugar! He rarely eats them, so he was excited. 1 Packet per takeoff worked for us. They are a little chewy, but safe for little one. From what I am reading here, the swallowing was what helped.

I did not give him any medication, as sudafed sometimes makes him grumpy. He DID NOT like wearing the ear planes.

Luckily, he slept the whole way down & most of the way home.