Please HELP! Kids flying with stuffy noses...

[traces7]

We're leaving in 5 days and today I noticed my DD(7) is getting a stuffy nose. It's nothing too bad yet. She does get stuffy noses a lot in general.
Will this bother her when we fly? This will be her first time and only my second time flying. I gave her some decongestant tonight before bed. I think I'll do this every night til we leave on Thursday. Does anyone have any other advice? Has anyone else flown when their kids have stuffy noses? I have heard of earplanes, should I try those, I'm not sure how she'd like something in her ears though.
Should I consider canceling? It's not bad enough to take her to the dr, but maybe I should have her checked since our trip is so close! We've been planning this trip (our first) for a year! PLEASE HELP! Thanks!

 

[720L]

Don't cancel for a stuffy nose! If she didn't have one when you left, she'd probably end up with one when you're there or when you get home. Give her a decongestant, get some children's Earplanes. Maybe have a pair she can wear at home for a while so she gets used to the feel of them. Bring Tylenol and cold medicine with you to Disney so you don't have to pay the high prices of them at Disney. Don't stress! Enjoy your first trip! Are you having her wear a princess dress at the parks? I highly recommend it for a magical experience!!!

 

[DeeDeeDis]

I wouldn't cancel for a sniffles either, they could be gone in 5 days.

Like was suggested by the previous poster, give her some decongestant to help her passages drain and be sure to bring either gum or gummybear type snacks that she can chew as the plane is taking off and landing. You may even want to call her pediatrician and see what they suggest for flying with a stuffy nose.

Remember yu can not bring fluids/medications onto the plane in your carryon (unless prescribed by doc with your name on bottle), so be sure to give her any medicine she may need before you leave home and to pack your medicines in your suitcases

Hopefully your worring over nothing - think positive-have lots of fun

 

[720L]

One other thing my pediatrician told me: It's the swallowing, not the chewing, that helps the ears!

 

[disneydancer1969]

whatever you do DON'T CANCEL!!!!
when we were about to fly to disney world in 04 i got a stuffy nose like hers and i used earplanes. they really worked. without them i suggest bringing 3,000 tissues for the way there and back. maybe more because it was only a 2 hour flight. but still
earplanes if she doesn't mind them, or a lot of tissues.
but still DON'T CANCEL!!!!!!

 

[disneydancer1969]

Get Her Some Gum Also. Very Good For When Her Ears Pop. Beleive They Will Pop.

 

[traces7]

Thanks for all the advice. She's pretty stuffy today. I'm going to call the dr and get her in on Monday and see what they say about flying. I really don't want to cancel either. She gets stuffy a lot and it lasts and gets worse for 2 weeks ususally and then ends up with an ear infection most times. That's why I'm concerned. We'll probably take our chances. I'll use decongestant for sure and I'm going to buy the Earplanes (don't know how she'll like them though). I'm going to give her a ColdEze lozenge today and see if that helps anything. I did chew gum the first time I flew and it didn't even help my ears. I'll have to remember the swallowing part though.
Wish me luck! Anymore advice???
disneydancer1969: did your ears hurt more since you had a stuffy nose?

 

[cinjam]

It's definitely the swallowing & not the chewing that helps your ears to pop. yawning works too. Also, and this is tricky, if you can hold your nose & try to blow out of it while at the same time swallowing - that will definitely get your ears to pop (this is something scuba divers do - DH dives). DH is standing here & also wants me to mention the the valsalva maneuver: close your mouth, pinch your nose and pretend you're trying to exhale through your ears.

Also it is the descent that will hurt if congestion is present. Hopefully I get this right (ENT explained it to me when we had a problem w/DS): Ear pain when we fly is because there is unequal pressure between your ear tube and the cabin of the airplane. The eustachian tube can normally equalize the pressure, but if the tube is blocked because of congestion --- well it will hurt

As the plane rises the pressure in the cabin decreases so there is no inward pressure on the ear drums. As the plane descends the pressure from the outside onto the eardrums increases. This usually causes more pain. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

I was lightly congested on our trip last month and the descent into Orlando was one of the top 3 painful things I have ever hard happen to me (gall bladder & child birth rank higher :rofl: ) I just put my head and my hands & cried. Lots & lots of decongestants & 24 hours later i did feel better. For the trip home & took the decongestant in the 24 hours leading up to the flight & did much better!

Have an excellent time on your trip!!

 

[traces7]

Oh, I'm really nervous now! She doesn't seem as bad right now, I gave her some Zicam. I did call the dr and have an appt. for Tues., we leave on Thurs. So, we'll hope for the best, I'm going to keep giving her decongestant every day I think.
I know what you mean about painful ears, the first and only time I flew my flight down was horrible and I wasn't even congested. The flight home was fine I took Sudafed.
We'll see what happens!

 

[disneydreamer1970]

My DH has ear issues when he flies (so do others in his family) and I didn't want to take the chance of one of our children having the same problems and asked our pediatrician what he recommended for them. Our pediatrician recommended benedryl and tylenol 1 hour before the flight for the kids and sudafed and tylenol for DH. We have done this each time we fly and have not had any problems what so ever. The benedryl does tend to make the little ones sleepy but that is okay!

Don't cancel and have fun!!!!

Trish

 

[POOHDRMR]

My daughter also was getting over a cold when we left the end of Sept.I called the doctor the day before and he said to give her dimetapp 1 hr before the flight.I brought it with me to the airport and had no problem going through security- it was unopened and they just put it in a QT size ziploc bag and then you put it in the little bin that you put your pocketbook and stuff in yo be screened.It helped her alot as last time we came home after having a cold at disney and she cried during the whole decent-this time she was good.

 

[TheGoofster]

This might seem kind of odd, but I would hightly recommend using AFRIN adult strength. I know she's only 7, but a smaller than normal dose will keep her sinuses completely clear for the entire flight. (it lasts about 8 hours) I would not let her use it on a regular basis of course, but a single shot to each nostrol about 1/2 an hour before take-off will keep her good till you arrive.
There are children's versions of Afrin (or Wal-mart) brands, but for flying I would go with a one-time only shot of the stronger stuff. Obviously check with your doctor first.
Hope your trip turns out great.

 

[NotUrsula]

When you see your ped., ask for a good decongestant, but as a backup, also ask for a scrip for Auralgan or the generic equivalent. These are analgesic eardrops. Peds tend not to like to give them because they are afraid you might use them too liberally &/or for too long, and possibly mask a serious problem, but you should be able to get them if you promise not to use them except as an emergency item if her ears hurt her during the flight.

I carry these whenever I fly, and about 1 out of 10 trips I need them for during the flight and maybe 1-2 doses afterward. Even the worst pressure-related pain from flying will normally subside within a few hours. The decongestant I normally take when flying is a combination of pseudoephedrine and guaifenesin -- best stuff going. I've been taking this combination since childhood. (Because of the restrictions on OTC pseudoephedrine, this is now a hard-to-get combination, but it can still be prescribed, and most pharmacists will keep a version behind the counter, too. These days I use Mucinex-D.)

You can now carry a drink onto the plane, and your best bet is a sport-top bottle of water. The catch is that you cannot carry the water through security, so you either have to buy the water in the airport gate area, or bring an empty bottle through security and fill it up at a water fountain in the gate area.

 

[FlyingBelle]

EARPLANES!

You can buy them at the airport, but they're about 1/2 the price at your local drugstore/Target/Walmart, etc. (About $5/pair)

They are blue earplugs with a valve inside to help releave pressure while flying - I don't leave the ground without them!

The box says they are safe for children (just don't push them in too far).

I put them in when we're ready to take off, take them out when the captain turns off the seatbelt sign, and put them back in when the pilot asks the flight attendents to prepare for landing.

I travel alot - they are my little blue earsavers!