Flying with a toddler

[cantwait06]

Hi everyone,

 

I know there have been similar discussions on here but I never really heard the answer I was looking for, so I need your help again!

 

We are flying to Miami in April. Last year when we flew with our daughter she still used a pacifier so I wasn't very concerned about the ear popping thing as I just put the pacifier in her mouth. She will be 2 1/2 when we fly.

 

My first question is:

What do you do to help kids who are too young to chew gum but don't use a pacifier anymore? She also doesn't use a bottle or a sippy cup that requires sucking, so I feel out of options. The only thing I can think of is to go back to her "baby" cups that have straws with suction, but I was wondering about other ideas? I also read that fruit snacks are a good idea but I hate giving her those because they are essentially candy.

 

Also, last year this was not an option as she was too young, but I've also heard of many people giving children benadryl for the plane ride to bring on a nap/prevent motion sickness? I think they do it more so the kids will sleep, because as far as I have read, kids that young don't get motion sickness anyway....Anyway, has anyone ever given their child benadryl for a plane ride? I'm not really comfortable with "drugging" my child so she'll sleep. I am planning on talking to her doctor before we go but I was just looking for advice/opinions. Has anyone done this?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[reallyitsmema]

I always gave my son a lollipop to suck when he was young, on both take off and landing. I know you said you aren't into candy but we found a little dum dum lollipop really helped. One flight, I also gave one to a little girl who was screaming because of her ears. I tapped the man on the shoulder in front of me to pass it down a few rows and if looks could kill, I wouldn't be typing this.:rolleyes: Amazing though, once we landed and could get out of our seats, he thanked me for "shutting up the screamer".:eek: Gotta love some people.:cool:

[Kerry's Girls]

I'm different in that when I fly with my twin toddlers, I'm in "whatever works" mode. They are allowed the treats that they otherwise don't usually get and we use sippy cups on board to avoid all of us being drenched the entire trip (in that small space, it's impossible not to knock an open cup off the tray). You could also try those water bottles with the "athletic tops" or whatever they're called that require a little sucking - but since you're not allowed to bring liquids through security, you'd have to bring one that you can empty and re-fill.

 

Benedryl can work to make them more comfortable/sleepy, but it's something you have to try before you travel to make sure it doesn't have the opposite effect on your child, which can happen. I did use it when we flew overnight from LA to London and it worked great, but we've also flown many, many times without it and everyone has been fine.

 

Best,

Mia

[crusinmama06]

If fruit snacks will get her ears to pop, then fruit snacks it is. :D

 

I wouldn't worry about candy, when you are talking about a 15 minute time period. ;)

[Baxter]

Another vote for lollypop. We take the "we're in vacation" philosophy when we travel. Fruit snacks, lollypops, other treats....as long as they're not eating by the bagful we're ok with that.

[sharktums]

Along the same lines, does anyone know when the 'ear problems' start with kids? I was always told that it really didn't affect kids until they were older toddlers. My two year old just flew last month and still had no ear issues, but we have A LOT of flights planned for this summer and I need to know when I should be ready with lots of 'ear remedies'.

[cantwait06]

I thought about the lollipops but wasn't sure if they would work, but I'll take it if they do! Thanks everyone!

 

Thanks for the Benadryl advice as well. I checked the box at the store today and it did say 6 and up-do they have a formula for 2-6 year olds? I didn't see one.

[isk8]

My 3 1/2 year old son hasn't really had any ear trouble on any of his flights. But I do make sure he has some water to sip and some crunchy snacks, like Cheerios, for take off and landing. For the water, I've used sippy cups, cups with a straw, the sports tops for bottled water, and just bottled water. You could also play the "Yawn Game" if you notice any discomfort. Have a contest to see who can yawn the biggest. That should pop her ears if needed.

 

I've never used Benadryl with my son. But I echo the previous poster who said to try it out at home first. Some people have an opposite reaction to it.

 

On our past couple of flights, my son has watched the Wonder Pets on DVD. He doesn't watch much TV at home, so watching it on a plane is a special treat and keeps him occupied. He is used to wearing headphones because we do listening therapy at home for his auditory processing issues, but if your daughter isn't used to headphones, I would practice at home with her a few times before your flight.

[Arwenmark]

They have stopped making and selling any antihistimine medicines, like Benedryl for children PERIOD. so if you are planning to take that route you will need to do it with Adult formula and try to figure out a dose, not the best thing without a Dr. and most Drs. are not going to help you do it.

[cantwait06]

They have stopped making and selling any antihistimine medicines, like Benedryl for children PERIOD. so if you are planning to take that route you will need to do it with Adult formula and try to figure out a dose, not the best thing without a Dr. and most Drs. are not going to help you do it.

 

 

that makes me way to uncomfortable so I won't be going that route! For some reason I thought it needed to be a sucking motion to help with the ear popping, but from what I'm gathering here it seems as though any chewing will do, so I can handle loading up the snacks! Here's a sidenote question though-what do kids who have an allergic reaction do?

 

Thanks for the great suggestion about trying headphones first, I need to put that on my to do list! I've already started prepping her for taking a shower, headphones are next!

[jam82]

I bought children's benadryl last week for my two year old. It says ages 6 and up. However, the Dr. told us to give him a half dose for an allergic reaction to a bug bite. It made the swelling go down, but it didn't seem to make him sleepy. I won't take a trip without it, however, I won't give it to him just to make him sleep either. If you want to, ask your Dr. first.

 

On past flights I have given him a new toy each time. It seems like something new will keep him interested longer than something old. Two hits were the travel Aquadoodle and the Magnadoodle. We haven't done the DVD thing yet, but I am thinking of trying it this time. I found kid size headphones to go with kid tough DVD player. We shall see.

 

I think will also bring the old kind of straw suction cups so his ears pop. Last time we flew we didn't have a cup or bottle, and everything was OK. Better safe than sorry.

[firedog451]

We have flown quite a few times and I always keep some medications with us. It was only on Our last trip we used a little benadryl only as a last resort. Our 18mo was very tired and way past his nap and screaming at the top of his lungs because he could get the most attention (not his norm thank goodness). I used it to help him fall asleep and it did, thankfully he was able to sleep the rest of the way home and we all had some peace. I would not use it just to medicate him thru a flight, but it definitely helps when all else fails. I am a medic and give this to babies, children and adults during allergic reactions and it is also considered a sedative. Talk to your doctor about it. It never hurts to just have it with you and its always good to have on hand in case of a real allergic reaction emergency! Good Luck

[deputymama]

I bought Children's Benadryl recently too. My son is almost 10 months old. I bought it for an allergic reaction he had to strawberries (we think). The doctor told me we could give him 3/4 of a teaspoon for up to 22lbs. Oh and BTW... he slept like a baby, literally. ;)

[klmrph]

They have stopped making and selling any antihistimine medicines, like Benedryl for children PERIOD. so if you are planning to take that route you will need to do it with Adult formula and try to figure out a dose, not the best thing without a Dr. and most Drs. are not going to help you do it.

 

Benadryl has always been labeled for 6 and up. It's the other cold/cough products that recently changed. Here is a dosing chart.

 

http://www.chsd.org/1644.cfm

[cb at sea]

I won't fly unless I take a Sudafed 1st! They have similar products for children---use it if "stuffy" heads are a problem!

[kasil]

It's the decongestants like pseudafed that are not recommended for younger kids. Some prescription antihistamines are approved down to 12 months. Benedryl should be okay for a toddler, but check with your medical provider first, and use the dose they recommend. Have a great vacation!

[Eclipsepearl]

Before you try medicating your children, I really suggest talking to the doctor first. Benedryl put me in the emergency room at age 7. Turns out that antihistamines are a problem in our family (makes our blood pressure sink fast).

 

Twice as a Flight Attendant, I saw children go wired because of antihistamines. It can often have the opposite effect. So even though they're OTC, they're not completely harmless. Drugs also are stronger in the air and make sure it's something your child has taken with success at least several times on the ground (no ER at 30,000ft!)

 

It's actually a myth that children need to suck on take-off and landing. In my 13 years working international long-haul flights and countless flights with my own three children, I can only name a couple of times that children were really uncomfortable.

 

Children cry for a lot of reasons. Let's face it, travel is tough on adults. They're tired, hungry, their schedules are disrupted, etc. and this ear-popping issue gets blamed too often and the parents overlook the real problem. Sometimes they're crying because their parents have woken them up to suck on something during take-off and they just want to go back to sleep!

 

On most flights, I had my own children in their car seats for take-off and landing. None took pacifiers and only one ever had a bottle. I let them sleep and they never had any problems with their ears. If your child does cry, this actually helps their ears adjust.

 

Sucking on something does help the ears adjust but if your child has any blockage or infection, no amount of sucking will help. Make sure your children's ears are clear and infection-free before flying. I used to schedule a "well-baby" visit a few days before flying.

 

The tricky time is not take-off or landing but the top of descent. This is when the aircraft leaves the cruising altitude and the F/A's start preparing the cabin for landing, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour before touch-down. Next time you fly, you'll notice it too. Doctors just recommend that the child be awake for landing. Offer something to drink or suck on if they're willing but please don't force.

 

http://www.aap.org/patiented/flyingbaby.htm

http://www.entcda.com/AAOHNSF/earsandaltitude.htm

 

About the motion sickness, I did see that a lot more often than any ear problems. It seemed to hit older children, from about 4-9 years old and not so much with babies and toddlers. For air sickness, the critical time was landing. Keep a plastic bag handy (better than those small bags they provide), some wipes and keep your child seated and staring forward in turbulence and as you come in for landing. If you hear the pilot mention a "holding pattern", be careful. Deadly for those of us (yes me included!) who get motion sickness.

 

For the record, my dd takes after me and only has to see a car in a parking lot to loose her lunch. My children are basically little volcanos but only that one who is really sensitive ever threw up on the airplane. They've thrown up on the way to the airport only to be fine on the flight. They never had a moments' problem on the 10 day cruise. Remember too, I can't give them anything (with our family history). It only happened once and we do r/t transatlantics about twice a year plus other flights...

[bigpuma]

Before you try medicating your children, I really suggest talking to the doctor first. Benedryl put me in the emergency room at age 7. Turns out that antihistamines are a problem in our family (makes our blood pressure sink fast).

 

Twice as a Flight Attendant, I saw children go wired because of antihistamines. It can often have the opposite effect. So even though they're OTC, they're not completely harmless. Drugs also are stronger in the air and make sure it's something your child has taken with success at least several times on the ground (no ER at 30,000ft!)

 

Excellent advice overall but I just wanted to reiterate talking to the Pediatrician before giving benadryl. If you do decide to use it try it out one night before the trip to see how your child reacts. Some kids have the opposite reaction to antihistamines.

 

The only time we gave our son benedryl was on a redeye so he would be able to sleep through it. It worked ok but he kept waking up every 20 minutes and started crying for a minute or 2.

[Arwenmark]

Benadryl has always been labeled for 6 and up. It's the other cold/cough products that recently changed. Here is a dosing chart.

 

http://www.chsd.org/1644.cfm

 

This is good to know since I thought that you could not longer get any anti histimine any more for children

[MamaParrotHead]

Here's a sidenote question though-what do kids who have an allergic reaction do?

 

My son has Benadryl at school as a first-response to food allergies. Also insect bites. He also takes Zyrtec for his allergies, which prevents his asthma from flaring up. Has since he was 2.5.

 

Another flying with toddlers tip...start shopping the clearance aisle at your local Target/Kmart/Walmart for cheap toys and stash them until the plane ride. HOURS of distraction there, LOL.

[Ula]

My son has Benadryl at school as a first-response to food allergies. Also insect bites. He also takes Zyrtec for his allergies, which prevents his asthma from flaring up. Has since he was 2.5.

Speaking as an adult who has had allergies for life, our last flight a man with perfume on moved to sit in front of us. It caused a severe reaction for me and I had zero pills. That was the landing from heck, I had blood coming out of my eyes, ears and nose. Being an adult I did not scream in agony.

Can not imagine what that would be for in regards to a child. Bring what you know works. With age you do develop resistance to many things. Due to growing up generations ago and allergies were seen as a mental problem, I also have ruptured eardrums so clearing them when flying is a trial to begin with.

Today's world is much kinder to allergies. But do whatever to keep those ears clear. You do not want a rupture.

[sprockie]

Teach them to hold their nose and blow up their cheeks to get rid of the pressure in their ears.

[Chat Noir]

I beg to differ about young children getting motion sickness! I have had motion sickness all my life, some of my earlies memories, blah!

 

For a 'natural' motion sickness lollipop, check out this link.

http://www.threelollies.com/index.htm

Some are organic.

I haven't tried them yet, but have some on order for our next cruise. I get sick every cruise, at least on the first day out 'til I become adjusted a bit.

 

I find it somewhat amusing that a drug (Benedryl) would be considered for a flight, yet fruit snacks (with some sugar) are off limits because they are essentially candy. That's not a mean statement... there's just some humor and little irony in that. :)

 

Dehydrate some apples or other fruits of your own. Then you know there is no added sugar, just what's natually in the fruits.

[Onessa]

I've never used Benadryl with my son. But I echo the previous poster who said to try it out at home first. Some people have an opposite reaction to it.

 

My father was given Benadryl as part of a drug "cocktail" once for some heart surgery he was having. His cardiologist outwardly dismissed my warning that my father tended to react badly to many medications. He did not bother to pass the warning on to the anathesiologist and/or the cv surgeon.

 

My father turned out to be one of the "less than" 0.1% of individuals for whom Benadryl is a psychotic (and in his case a very powerful psychotic). The cardiologist ended up staying up observing my father for 16 hours straight.

 

On our past couple of flights, my son has watched the Wonder Pets on DVD. . . . but if your daughter isn't used to headphones, I would practice at home with her a few times before your flight.

The DVD is a godsend for flights and/or long train trips and/or long drives. Working with your DD to get her accustom to the headsets is well worth the time investment.

 

When my DD was an infant/toddler my DH travelled a lot. There were times when the only time for an entire weekend that I was able to take 5 minutes to shower was to plop the DD in front of the TV with a kid's music video. While the researchers will cluck their tongues at TV for toddlers -- there is something to be said for maintaining one's sanity :cool:!

 

For the older infant/young toddler I also recommend to tether some toys -- the "leashes" you can buy for pacifiers, can also be used when a child is in one of those "what happens if I drop the toy" modes.

 

Beyond that lots of small packages of snacks, a bag of "new" toys, and lots of attention will make the flight a pleasure rather than a pain. Don't forget a "lovey" of some sort -- a soft familiar "friend" can make a lot of strange situations more bearable.

[cantwait06]

 

I find it somewhat amusing that a drug (Benedryl) would be considered for a flight, yet fruit snacks (with some sugar) are off limits because they are essentially candy. That's not a mean statement... there's just some humor and little irony in that. :)

 

 

 

Actually I stated that I was uncomfortable with drugging my child if you read my posts correctly. I still am. And I am not a fan of fruit snacks and avoid them if possible. So before you judge or criticize the "humor and irony," be sure you have read the post right.