Flying w/ fluid in ears - 22 month old - help!
May 12th, 2007, 05:29 AM
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Flying w/ fluid in ears - 22 month old - help!
We were just about to book our Disney trip for early June & we found out from the audiologist that our son has fluid in his ears, so now I’m thinking of not going. (Our son will be 2 in July, we were getting his hearing tested for Early Intervention because he is having a language delay). The audiologist said that he will most likely be one of those kids screaming in pain on the descent. He has no ear infection, but he has fluid in his ears that is affecting his hearing. I was so excited to go on this trip, but I don’t want to put my son in pain. My pediatrician said we could absolutely fly, but I’m apprehensive. (I am having fears of his poor little eardrum burstig, the doctor said there is a very small chance of that happing)
The trip would be 5 weeks from now, has anyone had an infant fly with fluid in their ears? I would really appreciate any advice.
Thanks for any help,
Marina
The trip would be 5 weeks from now, has anyone had an infant fly with fluid in their ears? I would really appreciate any advice.
Thanks for any help,
Marina
May 12th, 2007, 07:11 AM
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An audiologist is not an MD. They are highly trained and usually Master's Degree level clincians, an important part of health care team, but not MDs. If you are truly concerned after speaking with your pediatrician, you could run this by an ENT (who is an MD as well)
I am sure your pediatrician or the ENT will tell you that some kids have fluid in their ears much of the time. Mine both did. Years ago they used to treat most ear fluid with antibiotics - now they are less inclined to do so since studies have shown they do not do much. Sometimes decongestants are recommended, especially for flying - but do not take my word - listen to your MD.
Kids have small and differently shaped Eustachian tubes - that is why their ears can not adjust to airplane pressure changes as well and that is also why they get more ear infections than adults. I suspect that kids whose ears collect and store fluid are the same kids who are more likely to experience pain when flying - regardless of current ear fluid state.
Your MD said he could fly. Ask him/her about decongestants. I would trust him/her more than the audiologist or people here (including me)
And as far as the hearing loss and EI - do not panic. These sort of things are always best dealt with early on. While obviously each case is different, a personal anecdote that might give you some hope - my daughter had so many ear infections, fluid situations that in first grade she was not learning how to read - they talked about repeating first grade. Turns out she did have a MILD hearing loss, not requiring correction. Spent some time with reading specialist to catch up.
She is currently a HS junior honor student - yes, with a mild hearing loss, but has learned to adjust and accomodate (sits in front of classroom) and has learned to pay closer attention to everything - we would have been spared first grade anxiety if this had been caught at age 2.
Too wordy, as usual - check with an ENT and have a good trip.
I am sure your pediatrician or the ENT will tell you that some kids have fluid in their ears much of the time. Mine both did. Years ago they used to treat most ear fluid with antibiotics - now they are less inclined to do so since studies have shown they do not do much. Sometimes decongestants are recommended, especially for flying - but do not take my word - listen to your MD.
Kids have small and differently shaped Eustachian tubes - that is why their ears can not adjust to airplane pressure changes as well and that is also why they get more ear infections than adults. I suspect that kids whose ears collect and store fluid are the same kids who are more likely to experience pain when flying - regardless of current ear fluid state.
Your MD said he could fly. Ask him/her about decongestants. I would trust him/her more than the audiologist or people here (including me)
And as far as the hearing loss and EI - do not panic. These sort of things are always best dealt with early on. While obviously each case is different, a personal anecdote that might give you some hope - my daughter had so many ear infections, fluid situations that in first grade she was not learning how to read - they talked about repeating first grade. Turns out she did have a MILD hearing loss, not requiring correction. Spent some time with reading specialist to catch up.
She is currently a HS junior honor student - yes, with a mild hearing loss, but has learned to adjust and accomodate (sits in front of classroom) and has learned to pay closer attention to everything - we would have been spared first grade anxiety if this had been caught at age 2.
Too wordy, as usual - check with an ENT and have a good trip.
May 15th, 2007, 05:58 AM
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Yes, but it only goes to Tampa or Miami. www.amtrak.com
May 17th, 2007, 07:37 PM
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We had a similar problem with our eldest when he was a year old. The problem was cleared up in a matter of a couple of days after he had grommetts fitted into his eardrums. You may want to explore this option with your ENT specialist (if you have not already).
By the way in the long run grommetts have the benefit of reduction in infections and therefore less antibiotic use, which has to be a bonus to a childs health.
By the way, he was well enough to fly 5 days later on a four hour flight, not a peep out of him. And now apart from his selective deafness (You know the one where he cannot hear his parents say "clean your room"
he is fine.
By the way in the long run grommetts have the benefit of reduction in infections and therefore less antibiotic use, which has to be a bonus to a childs health.
By the way, he was well enough to fly 5 days later on a four hour flight, not a peep out of him. And now apart from his selective deafness (You know the one where he cannot hear his parents say "clean your room"
he is fine.
May 19th, 2007, 09:03 AM
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It's unwise to fly with anything blocking the flow of air to either side of the eardrum, since anything that interferes with pressure equalization on both sides is likely to cause a lot of pain and a miserable flight. You don't have to be an audiologist or a doctor to know this.
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