By: Natasha Archary
Travelling with children can be overwhelming for parents as some people are not as understanding and patient with children, especially when it comes to babies and kids on flights.
This was evident after a video of a man losing it on a flight, over a baby who had been crying for more than 40-minutes went viral.
There’s so many things to consider when travelling with children, particularly infants who often become fussy and irritable during a flight.
One of the main reasons why babies and children may cry on a plane is due to the cabin pressure, causing their ears to “pop.”
Babies and younger children are not good at pressure equalization in their middle ear, because a baby’s Eustachian tube doesn’t function quite as well as an adult’s ears.
So, if the pressure is not equalized, it can be painful for a baby or child, resulting in them crying.
An Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist will advise that the baby or child is either breast or bottle-fed, or sipping on a drink with a straw during takeoff and landing.
This is also recommended by a number of airlines because it helps the little ones relieve the pain in their ears.
That’s one way of helping to keep babies and kids on flights calm, below are 5 more.
Ward off the “fearsome foursome” which is the four checks every parent knows have to be made regularly to ensure crabbiness is kept at bay.
- Hunger
- Boredom
- Fatigue
- Overstimulation
Parents should:
- Provide distractions with suitable toys and age appropriate devices
Legos, puzzles, crayons and colouring activities all provide hours of stimulation, as well as sensory learning and play for children as young as 3-years.
Keeping your child distracted and preoccupied leaves little room for fussiness and tantrums.
- Pack all their favourite snacks for the duration of the flight
Hungry kids are going to get cranky and may kick a fuss, especially if they are unable to communicate their needs and wants yet.
Ensure you have enough to snack on or feed your baby or child throughout the flight.
- Plan flights on your kids’ sleep schedule
This will take some planning but if you manage to stick as close to your child’s sleep schedule, for babies in particular, can help keep them calm. Some babies and children sleep through shorter flights, longer flights require a lot more planning and patience.
- Have extra clothes, nappies and wipes for changes
Spills are inevitable with children, so be prepared and ensure you have extra clothes, nappies and wipes for changes that may need to be made.
Some children express discomfort when they’re wet or messy.
- Keep meds on hand
Having a sick baby or child is hard on all parents, but to take care of little ones in a confined space is twice as difficult.
Keeping their meds on hand will help relieve any pain or fever, and congestion that the baby of child may be experiencing.
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