Hi all. We are scheduled to fly to Disney on Monday. However last week, DS was diagnosed with an ear infection. I have treated it with antiobiotics & to follow up I went to an ENT specialist today & my son still has fluid in both ears. (The ear infection has cleared up for the most part). The fluid is not infected but is present in both ears. The ENT said there is a risk of perforating the ear drum if you fly with fluid in your ears. Does anyone have any experience with this? Someone else told me that the ear drum bursting is slim to none, I honestly don't know what to think. We don't have time to drive (from NY, so it's eaither fly or cancell trip).
Any advice would be appreciated,
Marina

I think a medical professional is the only one who should be answering this question for you.

I would also not contradict an ENT - but did I would call and ask WHAT the risk is - there is a risk of eardrum perforation anytime there is fluid in the ear. Would a decongestant ( a real one like pseudoephedrine - not the new Sudafed PE) reduce the risk? All questions for the ENT.

That said, my kids both had fluid in their ears for about 4 years each - seriously - pattern was ear infection, left over fluid, gradually dried up - new ear infection - and on and on for years. Both flew multiple times during this early childhood.

The fact the "someone" told you risk was minimal is useless - as is the fact that my kids flew with fluid in their ears. I know it is the weekend, but your pediatrician must have someone on call you can see, if not the ENT.

Gail,

Thanks for your advice.I went back to the ent yesterday afternoon. He said my son's ear infection has cleared up. There is fluid in both ears in the middle ear, but it's not infected. He said there is air in there too, so that's good (although I don't understand why that's good).

He basicially said because of malpractice he has to tell me not to fly (in case of ear drum rupturing), but we can if we want to. He did'nt give me any clear picture of how much a risk it would be. He said it's a chance it can rupture.But he also told me off the record her would fly with his kid too (whicvh makes me feel it's a small chance of rupture). DH did not like the ENT we saw, he definately rushed us. My husband felt he had to say don't fly in order to cover himself for malpractice.

We don't haver the time to drive, so it's fly or cancell. My friend's wife is a pediatrician & she said she would fly if her kid had fluid in the ear, the chances of rupturing are slim to none. & my other friends husband is an audiologist who said he would definately not fly with fluid in a child, since they have a greater chance of rupturing an eardrum.


So DH says "it's up to me". I have to decide by today & i'm more confused that ever...sigh......

I'm not a medical professional. But I have flown w/fluid in my ear. The pain during flight was so intense that it felt as though I was being stabbed directly in the ear.

The airline attendant gave me warm wet washcloths in a coffee cup to hold over the ear. When I landed at my vacation destination, I was told upon examination that my eardrum had hemmoraged (no wonder it hurt) but hadn't ruptured. Going up elevators even hurt that weekend.

I extended the vacation an extra day, flew first class home. I took decongestant before the flight (recommended). To this day I take a decongestant before flight and wear Earplanes which helps. I have permanent hearing loss in that affected ear.

Even if you put aside the concern about his eardrum rupturing, do you really want to subject your child to the pain that is sure to accompany takeoff and landing, if not the whole trip? And do you want to subject yourself, as well as the whole plane, to his screaming?

I don't understand why you are asking contributors on a travel forum to give you medical advice. Obviously YOU wamt to go on the trip and YOU want someone to tell you it's OK for you son to fly.

The point is no one on this forum has examined your child and the majority of us havn't got the expertise to despense medical advice. Those few contributors who do have medical expertise probably wouldn't be comfortable making a diagonosis without actually examining your son.

Really, you should follow the advice of a train medical professional not strangers on the internet. If your doctor tells you your son should not to fly (for whatever reason) then who are we to tell you otherwise. If you don't like the medical professional you saw originally get a second opinion from another doctor.

Think about what you are going to do if you ignore the doctor's advice and your son suffers some type of problem with your ear. You'll be looking for someone to blame.

Better be safe than sorry.

Roams around is obviously not aware that Fodors Lounge is one-stop shopping for questions on every subject from self-proclaimed experts in every field. Where else can you get financial planning, medical advice, counseling, and recipes - all on one board.

Or perhaps maybe s/he is - since a month ago s/he asked about chlorine/salt water generator for a pool.