Tip - Purchase some earplanes for your young children

[lsteadman]

Young children will more than like feel the pressure in there ears on the plane. I have seen many kids that age crying there heads off on take off and landing due to the cabin pressure.

It also happens to me and I am 33 years old. It feels like your head is going to explode so the crying is very understandable.

Hope this makes the trip more pleasant for some of you. Chewing gum didn't help me ...it hurt like heck...I was in tears and the gentlemen next to me didn't understand why I was tearing up. He probably thought I was afraid to fly. I fly all the time just the cabin pressure on my ears.

Here a link: http://www.cirrushealthcare.com/earplanes.htm

 

[debster812]

I bless the person who invented Earplanes EVERY SINGLE TIME I fly. I have never been able to fly without tears as we were landing, because it hurt so badly.

Oddly enough, my DS is more annoyed with the Earplanes, than the actual pressure. But I do pack a pair for him every time we fly as well.

I highly reccommend them to anyone who experiences ear pain with flying.

 

[wdisneelvr]

This may sound like a dumb question, but how do the earplanes help with air pressure?

I thought people wore ear plugs because of noise.

 

[debster812]

This may sound like a dumb question, but how do the earplanes help with air pressure?

I thought people wore ear plugs because of noise.

Earplanes are a soft earplug, that looks kind of like a screw, and there is a very narrow tub that runs through it.

They look like this:

This tube (as I understand it) helps to regulate the pressure, so you don't get the gobsmacking pain like your head is going to explode.

 

[wdisneelvr]

Ok thanks.

Another dumb question. Does everyone get this "gobsmacking pain" you are referring to?

How will I know I need them for a first time flyer?

 

[debster812]

Ok thanks.

Another dumb question. Does everyone get this "gobsmacking pain" you are referring to?

How will I know I need them for a first time flyer?

No such thing as a dumb question

Nope, not everyone gets major pain. I do, and I was the poster child for ear infections as a baby/child. DS seems to have inherited my ears, and gets lots of ear infections, he flies virtually pain free. 3 out of his last 4 flights he has HAD an ear infection, and been fine.

Unfortunately, I don't know if there is anyway to know if you would need them for a first timer. My best suggestion would be to buy them, and bring them in your carryon. See how you do on takeoff, and if it's twingy or bad, follow the package instructions and insert them an hour before landing.

Good Luck.

 

[NotUrsula]

Earplanes will only work if your child will keep them in, and lots of them won't. Mine will pitch a fit if I so much as wave them in his direction. I don't like them, either.

What works for me, and for my kid, is a preliminary dose of a Guaifenesin-blend decongestant, and a bottle of water to drink from during takeoff and landing.

Generally, if you have issues with your ears popping in elevators or on rides, it's pretty likely you may have some difficulty. If you have a stuffy nose when you are ready to fly, it's almost a sure bet.

Also, anytime you do feel pain from ear pressure, ring for the FA and ask for cups for your ears. The cups contain boiling-water-soaked napkins. First make sure that no water will drip if you hold them sideways, then cup them over your ears; the heat will equalize the pressure and at least partially relieve the pain. (I say partially b/c if you have already blown out an eardrum, you're going to need serious pain relief; this won't be enough to completely take care of it.)