Need Advice About Flying with a 17 Month Old

R.,
I strongly suggest to postpone your trip. I just flew with the start of a cold and I thought my head was going to implod, I can only image how a 17 month old might feel during and after the flight.

You are going to need to give her something to open her ears/nasal passages. (I am a former flight attendant so this is THE trick to do! If her ears are blocked from the cold NO amount of sucking/swallowing is going to open them for the ascent/descent) Our "flight office" doctors recommend we DO NOT fly with blocked ears. If you do, you will need to give her something earlier that is still in effect for take-off. Time it just right so that when that dose wears off you can then give her another dose BEFORE YOU BEGIN to descend. The descent for landing is the worst. I have seen adults cry in pain from the ear pressure if their ears are blocked. I cannot recommend what to give your 17 month old, but we used to (for adults) use a quick spray sudafed that you would sniff up your nose, because it works quickly and you can use it before take-off and again before landing. You will have to check with your ped. what is safe to use. (Liquid Benadryl perhaps?) Good Luck!

ditto to the info about the colds...the main thing that people for get is their ears...it is so hard on them and they can not tell you...especially with the cold be prepared.

If she is sick - I would postpone the trip....the air pressure might really hurt her ears if she already has fluid in her nasal passages. Just be prepared for an ear infection and trip to the urgent care if you do go.
My son was 'starting' to get a cold when he flew w/my husband to Lake Tahoe - needless to say, he got the WORST cold/flu ever....it was awful and miserable. He was 16 months old at the time..
It's just not worth it (to me)........but if you decide to go, make sure they drink a bottle or use a pacifier on the accent and decent of the plane.....it can really hurt their ears..
Good luck!!!!

I just finished a cross-country flight with a sick 14-month-old and a two-year old. I recommend bringing something to suck on, e.g. a pacifier, any infant cold medicine recommended by your child's pediatrician, lots of tissue and a change of clothing for you and the kids.

Good luck,
Lynne E

Make sure that she has a bottle and/or pacificer for the flight - for the way up and down. I have flown quite a bit with my son (15 months old) and the sucking action of using a bottle and/or pacificer helps relieve the pressure in their ears. Also, I would give her tylenol about 30 minutes before you board your flight. It will help reduce any pain that she already has from her cold and help her relax. Once you get seated i would take out the bottle and pacificer and keep them close by so that you have them ready when/if she needs them. Hope you all have a good easy flight.

I just flew with my 13month old who got an upper respiratory infection while we were out of town, so I had no choice because we had to come home. I was worried it would hurt his ears and even contemplated giving him a little benedryl, but he's too little. Instead I gave him tylenol prior to take off and landing for the pain, and gave him a bottle with a low flow nipple to suck on during landing and takeoff. A sippy cup will do too. Because of the low flow, he fell asleep for most of the flight. I spent so much time worrying, and he was fine throughout. Other than that, I always bring a lot of snacks and books. Good luck.

I have flown with my son 4 times, so eight times total and he is 17 months. If she is still on the bottle have her drink from it on take-off and landing since that will help her ears pop. Or at least have her eat or drink something to be swallowing something to help her ears. The dvd does help but he had more fun playing with people around us so try to pick your neighbors wisely and sit next to child friendly looking people (if possible)
Lastly, the best thing is to get creative and make games out of ridiculous things, like goofy noises or songs relating to the reading light above your seat. We killed several minutes turning it on and off. Playing with the food tray up and down was fun and we spent awhile having fun with ice cubes pushing them around the tray into the cup. SInce they are toddlers and love exploring the area around them, I found it best to focus on that, the dvd only lasted for a short time and then we had to move on to something else.
Good luck!!

Hi R.,

When my son was younger we flew with him and the best advice we received was to make sure he drank from a bottle or breast fed during take off and landing (or a sippy cup). Also, at the time we flew with him there wasn't so much hulabaloo about decongestants for babies, so at the pediatrician's suggestion, we gave him an infant decongestant a half hour before take off.

I hope this helps and I wish you the best.

Blessings,
R.