My child has earache. What can I do?
o-rec-CHIE — the 'cc' creates a 'k' sound, then 'chie' is like 'kyeh'. mal — MAL.
During take-off or descent when a child experiences ear pain due to pressure changes.
'Mal d'orecchie' (earache) follows the same pattern as 'mal di gola' (sore throat) and 'mal di testa' (headache). Ear pain during flights is caused by pressure changes in the Eustachian tube. 'Cosa posso fare?' (what can I do?) is a natural request for advice.
Ho mal d'orecchie durante la discesa.
I have earache during descent.
Most common during landing, not take-off
Come si equilibra la pressione nelle orecchie?
How do you equalise pressure in the ears?
Yawn, chew gum, or blow gently with pinched nose
Avete delle caramelle da masticare?
Do you have any chewing sweets?
Chewing helps equalise ear pressure in children
Ear barotrauma is very common in children on aircraft due to their smaller Eustachian tubes. The Valsalva manoeuvre (pinching the nose and blowing gently) is effective for adults. For infants, sucking on a bottle or breast during descent helps. Special children's earplugs ('orecchini da volo') are sold at pharmacies.