Flying & Child w/ear infection

[350DRIVER]

Let a doctor make the call, not a bunch of pilots on a message board. I have personally been asked the question by a few pax that I have flown regarding kids who were sick and that had similar problems and my answer was very simple and very elementary, "take the child to a doctor and let him make the call on whether or not the child is OK to fly." In many cases the doctor can prescribe the appropriate medication (s), antibiotics, etc, etc, and the children will still be able to make the flight with minimal pain and discomfort. If you raise the question to a flight crew, alarm them, etc, etc, then they may want to remove the child from the flight so don't think this would make much sense to even inquire with any crew members. Any pilot that I know would not knowingly "accept" a sick child or person who they may deem a "medical risk" since most would realize that it could make things worse if they would take them.... This surely is a medical issue and in no way, shape, or form, a "pilot issue". Make smaller corrections, change pressurization rates, blah, blah, blah, give me a break.

Tell them to seek out medical advice, and from that information a logical plan can be established. In many cases a doctor will be able to help reduce the pain for the flight home with minimal discomfort.


3 5 0

 

[TonyC]

... 1yr 1/2 old son and he has a bad ear infection.

For a healthy kid, I'd recommend giving him his pacifier / bottle / chewing gum (depending on age and preference) to keep the kid sucking, or at least his jaw moving, during a descent. For a kid with an ear infection... well - - think about it. Would YOU fly with an ear infection???? And YOU supposedly already KNOW how to valsalva, right?

Ear infection = GROUNDED PERIOD

 

[A1FlyBoy]

Don't bother the flight crew with such nonsense..

Your brother should be renting a car.