Question about ears popping in the plane...

[mrstxcop]

As I said in another post of mine, unfortunatley, we don't travel much...

Our trip in May will be the first time our girls, 13 & 7, will ride in a plane...

I, myself, have only been in a plane a handful of times but i do remember chewing gum during take off --- i don't remember about during the landing...

anyway, our oldest daughter has braces and cannot chew gum...is there anything else we can to do help with the pressure in her ears that she will feel during take off and possibly during landing --- or do we not need to be concerned with landing???

thanks!!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

YAWN a lot! Always works for me!

 

[momma2minnie]

How about http://www.cirrushealthcare.com/EarPlanes-C8.aspx

You can get them at Walgreens, Walmart, Target, etc

 

[Kanga+2Roos]

We just flew back yesterday--I picked up the kid-sized earplanes for my ds3 & ds7 (they are good for the round trip). My ds7 is very sensitive to the ear pressure & has a hard time getting his ears to pop--on the way down to FL he had major pain in one ear despite having the earplanes in (I'm not sure if I just didn't put it in properly or what). On the way back though they worked like a charm.

The other things I brought for them is suckers, gum, & a sippy cup/water bottle--the extra effort to suck the water out of the sippy cup seemed to help too.

It is very hard to find the kid size earplanes so start looking now! CVS is supposed to be your best bet but we don't have any by us. All of the other major retailers only carry the adult version--makes no sense to me! I had to end up driving to my local airport to buy them since I didn't have time to order them online.

Good luck!

 

[cogero]

our doctor gives us ear drops for the pain. Since our son was little the first time he flew. So I use them in his ears and DDs.

they are a pain reliever and seems to help them both for me I just yawn

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Yawning and drinking (I think you can carry on a beverage as long as it is bought after you clear security, otherwise as a flight attendent upon boarding).
You could also check with her orthodontist to see if there is a brand of gum she can chew just for short periods of the flight.

 

[mrstxcop]

How about http://www.cirrushealthcare.com/EarPlanes-C8.aspx

You can get them at Walgreens, Walmart, Target, etc

thanks for linking this --- i have never heard of them --- i will definately look for these if her ortho does not okay the gum...

i had thought about bringing suckers for her but didn't know if it would really work ...

she will have 1 more appt before we leave so i will check with her ortho to see if it's okay for her to chew gum for the flight only ... maybe sugarfree gum he would be okay with...

 

[tjmw2727]

Its really the swallowing that helps pop the ears which is why gum works so well, chew & swallow. My older dd usually chews starburst but that won't work with braces either. My younger dd has spacers in her mouth, she usually gets a sports bottle of water and some jolly ranchers, a lollypop or a "chewey" granola bar.

I would ask the ortho if she can chew the gum that doesn't stick or experiment with other fun foods that she can chew & swallow.

The airplanes work for some but not for my kids - worth a try though.

TJ

 

[gila]

i like to suck on a menthol cough drop (like Hall's) during take-off and
shortly before landing. it causes you to swallow and i think the menthol helps keep everything clear

 

[schoonersky]

Our first family flights were last summer to WDW and my DD6 at the time experienced pain in her ears during landing, not just the last ten minutes but during the last 45 to 50 minutes or so, I think likely when they start to descend a bit. We bought the child sized earplanes and they seemed to work well on the first flight home, but I think maybe not in right and she had more pain on the connector flight.

I like the sippy cup or sports water bottle ideas - as much as I tried to convince her to swallow and chew and yawn, it didn't seem to help. I'm also going to ask our doctor about the ear drops. I would suspect she would be a good candidate - her pain seemed more pronounced to me than the average person who just can't get their ears to pop. I'm not sure why.

 

[debm]

Recently I have had trouble with my own ears as an adult with flying. I fly fairly frequently and it can be quite painful. Going up is not the problem. My husband, as a flyer, explained that your ears will naturally pop going up. But coming down is the problem. Usually it is fine--the time when it is a problem is when I have congestion, allergy issues, etc. Most people do not have a problem with it. However whenever they start descending, which can be an hour or so left in the flight, I can tell. I always try to save my ice from my drink they serve and I chew on it and swallow. gum is ok, but really only gets you to swallow. Opening and closing your mouth, like yawning. Teach the kids how to valsalva--to equalize the pressure in their sinuses. I have a son with small ear canals and issues with his ears but he has never had a problem flying. So don't just automatically think they will. Prepare yourself, but don't overly worry about it. Be prepared to help them valsalva and swallow if a problem arises. Have fun!