Tips for preventing ear pain while flying?

[JodyLynC]

My 2 yo's will be flying for the first time in late Nov. I have always had problems with my ears when flying. I use a wonderful product called ear planes that make the problem virtually go away. I am considering using these on my children, but weren't sure if they were too young or if anyone else recommends them.

What do you do to help your young children during ascent and descent? My DH has never had a problem so we are hoping our children take after him.

 

[all4fun]

I usually give my ds something to suck on. The only time he had a problem was on decent on the way home one time when he was a bit congested. All the other times it hasn't bothered him. Hopefully your dc's won't have the same problem you do. As for the Earplanes, I haven't used them but I have looked at them. I think the package for the childrens version says they can be used for age 1 and up.

hth!
Cheryl

 

[Gale Thompson]

I purchased children's Earplanes today at our local CVS. They say they are for children ages 1-10.

 

[melk]

Our pediatrician recommends Benadryl before we fly. We tried it last time and it knocked the kids out, but my oldest woke up on the descent and still cried with the ear pain. We always give her something to drink or gum, even tylenol but the pain always gets her on the descent in Orlando (she's 8 now).

 

[momto2]

When My kids were too little to chew gum, we used Tootsie Rolls and/or gummy worms, both very chewy. It did the trick!
mom used them too!

 

[amyjo]

We use gummy bears. My ped has also suggested giving them a decongestant so I usually bring a chewable children's decongestant and give them half the recommended dose about 30 min before getting on the plane.

 

[mnhockeymom]

Have used them for my kids (DS 9 and DD 5) on our last 4 airplane trips. They work great. On one trip a few years ago my son decided he didn't want to wear them so I didn't buy them for him. I thought maybe he was old enough and had outgrown ear trouble. Boy were we both wrong! He was in terrible pain about 45 minutes out from landing. We tried gum and sucking through a straw but it didn't help at all. I had a pack of Starbursts in my purse though and they finally helped. Maybe be because they are harder to chew? We haven't travelled without Earplanes since. We buy the childrens variety but when we went last March, I had trouble finding them. Both Wal-Mart and Walgreens told me they no longer are carrying the childrens size and I finally found them being clearanced out at another drug store. Does anyone know if they are discontinuing the children's size? I sure hope not....
Kris

 

[JodyLynC]

I love the Internet!!!

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:EarPlan...14489115,date:20050505,srch:kw,x:&mid=1013972

 

[all4fun]

I just remembered this tip posted a while back by another poster. NotUrsula, I hope you don't mind me copying it from another thread! I thought I would post it again just in case you're up in the air and didn't bring your earplanes!

Just so you know, even if you don't medicate, you can take steps to ameliorate pain WHILE in the air. Call the FA and ask for "cups for my ears".
All FA's will be familiar with what you want. They will bring back two coffee cups with paper napkins stuffed inside, over which a little boiling water has been poured. First and foremost, for safety, up end the cups over the floor to make sure that no hot water drips out. Once you are sure that all the water was absorbed by the napkins, place the cups tightly over the child's ears like muffs, and hold them there for a minute or so. Take a break to let the heat escape, then do it again as necessary. The cups create steam chambers that help to equalize the pressure inside the ears, and relieve the pain.

The FA's cannot come once the final descent has started, so if you think your child will need these, ask for them when you are about 15 minutes out; the FA will bring them right before the descent starts. Keep them covered until you need them, otherwise they will cool too quickly.

 

[JodyLynC]

Great Tip!! I don't know if all FA's know about this though so I am printing it up. A few years ago, I flew and had incredible pain. It would have been nice if the FA suggested this tip.

Thanks Again!!

 

[wvjules]

When we flew to Orlando a few years ago, my DD's ears wouldn't pop at all. We tried everything. Finally the FA did the cup thing and it worked almost immediately. When we flew home, DD had no problems. I recall someone saying that the problem usually occurs most when flying north to south. Next month we'll try earplanes for her, hopefully those will work.

 

[mskani]

Last year on the way down to Orlando, the FA gave me the cups for my dd and it definitely did the trick. Unfortunately, on the way back home, the FA told me that they would not do this because they did not want to held liable if my dd somehow burned herself.

This year, I'm going to give her a dose of Benadryl and hope that I get a FA who will give me the cups. I pray that this works as this will be the longest flight that she has ever taken.

 

[hezzie]

We just returned from a trip and the FA on the flight down came to our rescue with the cups. I had the earplanes in my sons ears, but they were not working and he was starting to complain. The FA noticed and brought back the cups. Amazing! My DH looked at me as though we were crazy to think two styrofoam cups would solve the problem, but he was impressed when not a word came from my sons mouth. He usually cries during the entire landing, so we were very grateful. On the way home, I asked the FA for a set when we were boarding and she said no problem. Once we started the decent, I had to go back and ask her for them, but she was very quick to make them up. They have a hot tap dispenser they use to soak the papertowel. I'd love to know who thought this one up because it's wonderful!