Flying with poorly toddler

[stillsleeptraining]

Could do with some advice please. My 3 year old has been bouncing from one cold to another for 6 months, as have the rest of them at his nursery (and all the other toddlers we know). He's full of cold at the minute - really snotty and under the weather.

We're meant to be flying on Saturday to see family. It's important that we go and it would be very difficult for me if we didn't go, but I'm obviously worried about him on the flight. It's 3 hours and I'm thinking about his ears in particular.

Would you go? And if you didn't, any tips on how it works with travel insurance and what I'd need?

Thanks in advance!

If you think he’ll be ok while you’re there, he won’t be miserable being away from home, then I would go. I’d give him Calpol before you fly and use saline nasal spray to try to clear his nose a bit. I’d take lots of snacks and drinks and a device he can watch tv on.

I flew with a cold once and the pain in my ears was excrutiating, and I was an adult. Can you give your DS some decongestant to deal with this, otherwise he will scream the plane down?

Thanks, @SnugKnights. That's reassuring and practical

@RampantIvy - I'm frantically googling for decongestants for toddlers!

I’m 90% sure decongestants aren’t considered safe for children. I don’t think it’s a given that he’ll find it painful, my cousins flew long hall every year as kids and never had an issue with being I pain. Considering toddlers get an average of 8-10 colds a year I’m sure they’ll have flown with colds more than once.

Getting him to breath in olbus oil off a tissue is safe, and will clear his nose temporarily.

You can buy Snuffle Babe which is like Vicks for toddlers.

@AllTheCakes

You can buy Snuffle Babe which is like Vicks for toddlers.

I forgot about snuffle babe, I used that when mine were smaller. I’d also try to teach him to blow his nose properly if he can’t already. I had to tell mine to push it out of their nose, otherwise they just blew from their mouth like they were blowing bubbles.