2 year old on an airplane

[antnee]

Okay we will be taking a soon to be 2 year old on an airline for the first time. Any tips on how to deal with him and cabin pressure. He is too small to chew gum but what to do pacify his pain. Will the binky work?

 

[t2simon]

We took our now almost 4 DS to WDW 11/01 via plane. We had a binky and sippy cups. I guess the binky would have worked, but he fell asleep and it just dropped out of his mouth. We TRIED to put it back, but he just kept spitting it out! Had no problems, though, and he had cronic ear problems his first 1 1/2 years.

Most important thing we did, though, is purchased a seat for him and brought his car seat. That way, he was very comfortable (a familiar seat) and safe.

The binky should work fine - it is the sucking motion that helps - as long as he'll keep it in his mouth!!!

have a great trip!!!

 

[4greatboys]

Last Sept when we went my 2 youngest were 2 and 5 months. @ year old did not use a binky but we did take a sippy cup. The sucking on the cup to get the drink out will help the babies ears. As for my 5 month old I just bf him during take off and landing and he was fine.

 

[Disneyolic]

Our pediatrician suggested giving the kids some Tylenol a half hour before flight. Last year we flew with our then 1½ year old. I brought about 5 different snacks and 5 different toys (including pipe cleaners). I vowed to keep everything hidden and take things out as needed. Well, that failed. Everything came out before the first hour was done. I couldn't believe how ansy he was. I tried earplanes in his ears but he wouldn't keep them in but we didn't have a problem with his ears. Sippy cups worked fine. We also brought some juice boxes that we froze the night before so they were cold by the time we got to them.

 

[NotUrsula]

When you chew gum or suck a pacifier, your mouth generates saliva, which you then swallow. That's what eases the ear pain, the swallowing. (Yawning will do it too, it moves the same muscles as swallowing.)

Give the child something to drink during takeoff and landing. Bring it on board with you, as the FA's will not serve you anything to drink until the plane is in the air, and by that time, it would likely be too late already. If you don't know if the child is prone to airsickness, I don't recommend dairy products; go with water or clear juices. (BTW, in children, the most likely time for airsickness to strike is just after landing; watch him carefully as the plane taxis to the gate.) The air in planes is very dry, anyway, so hydration is important.

If the little one is showing signs of sniffles in the days leading up to the trip, it's a good idea to give a decongestant to clear the Eustachian tubes in advance. For preventing ear or sinus pain, the best decongestant is going to be one that includes the ingrediant Guiafenesin, which is found in Robitussin and the generic equivalents of robitussin. Antihistamines don't work to prevent ear pain, in fact, they can make it worse, because they dry the inside of the ear, which causes the tissue to be less elastic, which, in turn, means that pressure on those tissues is going to be more painful than it would be if they were moist. To work well, guiafenesin requires good hydration, so again, push the liquids.

If he does end up in pain, call the FA to get you some coffee cups for his ears. They will know what you want. They get a couple of coffee cups, put paper napkins in them, and then pour in boiling water, enough to make the napkins damp. This means that the cups become little steam chambers. You use them to cover both ears. The steam will cause a pressure change inside the ear, which relieves the pain in about 3-5 minutes. Be VERY careful to turn the cups upside-down before putting them over his ears; you want to make sure that no hot water will dribble out and scald him or you.

 

[scrapsnut]

I flew last September with a 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old to seattle to visit relatives. They did pretty well. The sippy cups worked pretty good but the Tylenol or Benedryl really helped the 1 1/2 year old to relax. Just a thought for dealing with cabin pressure....My DH had a laptop he took to occupy the 3 1/2 year old with movies. After giving the 1 1/2 yo Tylenol he fell asleep til the last 45 min to 1 hour. Then my DH and him walked the plane meeting people.

 

[stacy6552]

juice....swallowing helps pop ears.

 

[sgtpet]

Whatever you do purchase a seat for your 2 year old. Trust me.

 

[melk]

The only thing that got us through our last flight were lollipops. We were in the air an extra hour due to weather and the lollipops were actually for my older two but my then 18-mo. old was ready to be out of her carseat...NOW! I don't think it was the cabin pressure, it was more the confinement. I just gave her one lollipop after another and watched her very carefully (I'm always in fear of choking...at least they were the flat kind, I don't allow the round ones). But I'm sure they helped her ears with the swallowing.

 

[scrapsnut]

That lollipop idea is great I will have to remember that when we fly again. Hopefully to DW next summer....

 

[llane]

We use lollipops, snacks and juice boxes. My dd has been flying since 1... she's now 6 and thinks she's such a big girl now, on our last trip I allowed her half a stick of gum.

Be careful of medications. Benedryl and others can wire kids up. I wouldn't give anything that hasn't been used at home before.