Glue ear and flying

[mfms]

Hi,

My almost 2 year old has reoccurring ear infections and perforated ear drums and constant green discharge in both ears.

We've been on the waiting list for ENT since January (even though we'd been asking repeatedly for a referral prior but that's another story)

It's an 18 month waiting list so roughly due around June next year. The doctor updated the referral to make him high priority as this is his 9th infection. Unfortunately no change to the waiting time.

My question is, can he fly? It's my sisters wedding in June. I'm bridesmaid and my sons are obviously invited and it's more of a family holiday too as everyone's going for a week together.

I've tried to source a private ENT near me with no luck yet. I'm also a student until September as I'm almost finished my degree and my job doesn't start until September, so money is tight at the moment for private but willing to do whatever we can.

I assumed he wouldn't be able to fly due to pressure and risk of infection and I don't want to see him uncomfortable and in pain so if he can't fly then we don't go.

We usually stay in the UK as we have two toddlers and haven't flown with them since DS started with glue ears so I have no idea!

You need to invest in an ear popper. This device totally sorted my sons glue ear. Use it religiously and it will very likely go away. £99 at Boots .

I've never heard of one of them before

He can fly

But. I wouldn't recommend it.

I have the same history as your son, meaning when I get ear infections now, my drums rupture still and I still get glue ear.

I flew back from Spain at the start of the year, having the back end of a cold and I was in tears on the flight upon descent. The pain was agonising. Same for the flight out there. It was temporary, as in as soon as they "popped" it was fine. But that pressure build up was exactly the same as if feels like when I have an infection and the drum is getting ready to pop.

I just spent half an hour looking for your post that I saw last night to THANK YOU!! I ordered ear popper from Amazon like you suggested and today when it arrived my son for the first time in weeks could hear me! He was so happy, the first thing he said "I can even hear me chew" (he's 4 y o) He's been struggling with glue ear for at least a month now and it's started to really affect his speech and learning and I was looking for any advise online and found you post! I'm so thankful to you!!! Thank you so much!!! Truly life changing! 🙌

I remember being in a waiting room at an osteopaths clinic and there was a poster saying they could treat glue ear. I remember it because I thought "what the hell is glue ear?" (pre-internet)

So could an osteopath be worth a try?

My daughter had this very badly. We did still fly with her. She was infected so often I'm not sure if I can say it made it worse. She got discharge after flying to Spain but we were able to get her usual medicine there.

Her consultant tried her on preventative antibiotics but mixed success.
She got listed for grommets but they like to wait as long as possible.
Whilst waiting she ended up admitted to hospital and another a&e visit. They did the grommets as an emergency when she was 3. It solved it. Now 7 and not a single infection since!
We kept her off swimming for a while but she can now do it fine.

Age 6 months to 3 were hell but it's happily behind us.

Ps. They will try and hold off grommets as long as they can as most kids thankfully grow out of it as tubes widen..plus they are difficult to fit on a small toddler.

Suction to dry it out sometimes helped.
We did try pretty much everything.

I'm estimating she had maybe 30 + episodes 😪