Air travel is one of the smartest inventions ever made as it allows us to cross over to places thousand of miles away from us, in just a few hours.
This great invention does not come without disadvantages as one may experience motion sickness such as irritation in the ears, also known as ear barotrauma (a painful clogged up feeling in the ears that occurs when the air pressure changes quickly), or become nauseous at the take off and the landing stages.
This uncomfortable and sometimes painful feeling can be unbearable for kids, something which may leave parents worried.
While there isn’t any way to dodge this, there are ways to make ear barotrauma bearable for your little ones.
Let us look at a few of those:
- Visit a doctor before your travel – Depending on the length of your journey, it is advisable to visit a paediatrician if you will be flying for longer flights. Ask your doctor to check for anything that may be triggered by air travel. The doctor should check your little ones ears for any abnormalities so as to not aggravate the problem if found.
- Let her cry it out – Sitting with a crying baby on a long flight might get you a lot of funny stares from other passengers but, anyone who has travels by air understands that cabin pressure can sometimes be painful to both the old and the young. The WellTogetherBlog advises to let your baby cry as that,“ helps in the process of opening the eustachian tubes and clearing the ears.”
- Try pacifiers and lollipops – Giving your child something to chew on before take off and again when the aircraft descends for landing is advised by the above mentioned blog as that helps the eustachian tube equalise the pressure.
- Give them ear plugs – According to medical information hub MedicalNewsToday, ear plugs are the real plug to dodge the pain caused by cabin pressure. “Ear plugs can also help equalise pressure in the ears, which may help prevent discomfort when flying,” adds the hub.
- Avoid flying with your kids when they are sick – Travelling with a child that is sick can be a nightmare, especially when they are suffering from a cold related illness. If it’s possible to re-schedule the flight, MedicalNewsToday suggests you do so as, “The common cold and other upper respiratory tract infections that cause congestion and ear infection are risk factors for airplane ear.”
Also see: 8 Safety tips for travelling with children
