Taking the Earache out of Flying
Are you and your little ones flying the friendly skies any time soon?
Keep them friendly by helping your children's eustachian tubes (which drain the middle ear) stay open as the plane lifts off and lands. How? For babies, nursing or sucking on a pacifier or bottle during ascents and descents does the trick, and chewing a piece of gum works for most children. This eases discomfort by equalizing pressure in the ears, explains pediatrician Christopher Ryder in his book Take Your Pediatrician with You.
Try some other strategies from Take Your Pediatrician with You to help your child fly pain-free.
- Teach older children how to manage the change in air pressure. Ryder suggests that older kids plug their nose, close their mouth, and suck in during ascents. And for descents: Plug their nose, fill their mouth with air, close their lips, and try to force air through closed nostrils.
- Be prepared. If your children usually have earaches when flying, give them a pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen 30 minutes before take off. For long flights, repeat the dose an hour before landing.
Please note: Although the author of this book and several online sources of pediatric health information recommend giving children with colds either an oral or nasal decongestant prior to flying, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not support this treatment. To date, there is limited published data demonstrating any beneficial effects, and there is potential for adverse effects in some children.
