Can my child with a middle ear infection fly? | Inflammation of the middle ear in infants

Can my child with a middle ear infection fly?

Theoretically yes. In practice, however, air travel should be avoided as far as possible in the case of middle ear infection. Flying does not cause additional damage to the ear in the case of a pure middle ear infection.

However, the increased pressure on the ears can increase the intensity of pain in a child with acute middle ear infection. Even for adults, flying with acute middle ear infection can be very painful. If a flight is absolutely unavoidable, decongestant nasal drops and, if necessary, painkillers should be applied shortly before the flight.

The treating pediatrician should be consulted about this. The pediatrician should also examine the ear by means of an ear examination before the flight. If there are indications of damage to the eardrum or middle ear, air travel may be contraindicated.

Diagnosis

Parents should consult a physician if the above symptoms occur. The doctor will ask them in detail about the current symptoms and the history of their child. This will be followed by a physical examination, in which the ear in particular will be thoroughly examined and, if necessary, the body temperature will be measured.

During the ear examination, the doctor will look at the eardrum with an otoscope. This is an instrument equipped with a magnifying glass and a small lamp, which makes it possible to inspect the ear canal in detail. In addition, the hearing ability is checked in further steps and it is examined whether the eardrum is freely movable.

In addition to the symptoms described by the parents, there are other diagnostic indications of inflammation of the middle ear in the infant. These include a reddened eardrum and an outwardly bulging, immobile and non-transparent eardrum, which indicates fluid accumulation behind the eardrum. If the eardrum tears due to excessive pressure, secretions may leak out. A yellowish, purulent, sometimes bloody fluid (through the tear in the eardrum) then runs out of the ear and the child’s symptoms suddenly subside.