KIDS ON A PLANE

Have you ever experienced flying with kids on a plane?

Hi everyone! Jennifer and I just got back from a trip to Chicago.

For those of you who don’t already know Joy & Laughter Developmental Therapy is in San Jose CA. We did not bring our 2 year old because this was a business trip but it got me thinking. Would I bring my child 2 year old on a plane and if I did how in the world would I entertain them for a 4 hour flight? How would other people in the plane react? I have a kid so I am sympathetic when they cry because their ears hurt. I could hear the parents telling them to yawn or chew gum. I could only imagine the thoughts going through the kids head. “I don’t want to yawn! I am not tired” & “Why is mom trying to get me to chew gum? My breath is fine!” “I just want my ears to stop hurting!” I remember being a child and sitting in my mother’s lap as she held me trying to comfort me in my time of pain. But there is nothing you can do. Or is there? So I did some research and this is what I found, Kid’s health had this to say.

Drink plenty of decaffeinated fluids (water is best) throughout the flight. Drinking a lot is very important, not only because it encourages swallowing (which makes the Eustachian tubes open), but also because airplane air is dry, which thickens nasal mucus, making it more likely for the Eustachian tubes to become clogged.
Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen about a half hour before takeoffs or landings if you know your child has ear pain when flying.
Chew gum or suck on hard candy (only if your child is over 3 years old).
Take a bottle or pacifier or breastfeed. If you bottle-feed, make sure your baby is sitting upright while drinking.
Yawn frequently (if your child can do this intentionally).
Stay awake for takeoff and landing. During sleep, we don’t swallow as often, so it’s harder to keep the air pressure in the middle ear equalized.

Summary: Hydrate, so mucus is thin. Yawn, suck, chew or perform any movement that allows the jaw to move around. And please don’t let the little ones sleep during takeoff or landing. I have a very bad memory of walking up and crying my eyes out as a child. This would even happen if we went up in the mountains. As a parent I understand the idea of letting my child sleep through the ride but if they don’t fix that pressure issue the child will be hating life when they wake up. The idea of acetaminophen was a new one for me. I guess if you can’t fix the problem treat the symptoms.

So what are the alternatives to the traditional remedies? Well one that I found is called “earplanes” this is a type of ear plug that not only reduces that sound but helps with regulating pressure. And they come in child and adult. The reviews on amazon seem to be relatively good. The biggest complaint seems to be that they only come one set to a box. The price ranges between $4.50 and $7.00. And that does not seem too bad to me. I paid $3 for a bottle of water during my travels last weekend. The only downside would be getting your child to keep them in their ear. Perhaps if mom and dad were doing it too it would look cool “peer pressure!”

Let’s be honest even if ears are not a problem and you bring every toy that child owns they are going to get bored and other people on the plane will notice that there is a child on the plane. Some people just simply have no tolerance for a child. A growing new trend for new parents is to pack goodie bags of candies and earplugs. Essentially letting the people around them know that they are aware of the problem and they will be doing everything they can to keep the child happy and quiet. After researching this I found that there is a big following of people who feel that parents need to stop apologizing for the crying kids and the other passengers have no right to complain. I can see both sides of the argument here. On one hand I paid for my ticket and my child is allowed to be there on the same note there may be other people on the plane festering in their seats hoping for a plane crash because they can’t stand a baby’s cry. What’s your opinion? Would you appreciate a goodie bag? Could you see this causing people to be a little more understanding of their situation? I think if people saw that I was thinking of them it would buy me a few extra miles before they kick me off the pain.

We would love to hear you thought and airplane stories. What has worked for you and what problems have you encountered?

Resources

When Should Your Baby Be Standing & Walking on Their Own?

When Should Your Baby Be Able to Sit Up Without Support?

Everything You Need to Know About the Startle Reflex in Babies

When Should Your Baby Be Able to Roll Over?

Everything You Need to Know About the Grasp Reflex in Babies

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Ms. Jennifer
OTR, Founder and Executive Director

Jennifer received her Master’s Degree in occupational therapy from San Jose State University, after double majoring in occupational therapy and psychology for her undergraduate program. Jennifer has been working with special needs children since 2005 both as a therapist and as a respite care worker. She has experience in working with children across the developmental spectrum and from 1-22 years of age. While Autism has been her primary area of practice she also has hands-on experience in working with children with down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Tourette’s, Dyslexia, ADD/ADHA, sensory processing disorders, mental retardation, and other developmental delays.

Outside of work Jennifer enjoys camping, hiking, cake decorating, outdoor adventures, and spending time with her family.

Languages: English, Spanish, American Sign Language (ASL)

Specialty Areas: Autism, Feeding, Swallowing, and Pediatrics Advanced Certifications: Physical Agent Modalities (PAM), Swallowing (SWC), SPD Pro 1 Certification

Certifications & Continuing Education Jennifer has participated in that are often highly sought after by clients and mentees. Handwriting Without Tears (HWT): Is a nationally recognized handwriting program that helps children gain the skills needed for both print and cursive writing. HWT draws from years of experience and research which helps provide developmentally appropriate, multi-sensory tools and strategies to help children learn the skills for handwriting. Children are taught handwriting skills using interactive materials and activities that help promote the skills needed for handwriting. Visit https://www.lwtears.com/ for more information.

Jennifer has received level 1 certification in this program. Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Feeding Solutions: A feeding program that incorporates the principles and practices from multiple disciplines including psychology, pediatrics, occupational therapy, dietetics, and speech-language pathology. The SOS program incorporates sensory, motor, oral, behavioral, learning, medical, and nutritional factors to create a comprehensive program for each child. The SOS program has over 20 years of success for helping infants, children and adolescents learn to eat. For more information visit https://sosapproachtofeeding.com/sos-certification/.

Jennifer has taken beginning and advanced course work in this approach.SCERTS Model: The SCERTS model is a research-based multidisciplinary framework that helps to address many of the problems faced by a person with ASD. The SCERTS model aims to build a child’s skills in “Social Communication”, Emotional Regulation”, and “Transactional Support”. The SCERTS model aims to help children learn and spontaneously react in a variety of settings. To learn more visit their website. The Son-Rise Program for Autism: The Son-Rise program teaches a specific and comprehensive system of autism treatment and education designed to help families and caregivers enable their children to dramatically improve in all areas of learning, development, communication, and skill acquisition. For more information visit https://autismtreatmentcenter.org/.

Jennifer learned this program second hand while providing intensive intervention with a child who’s family received specific training from the options institute.Zones of Regulation Curriculum: The Zones curriculum uses a cognitive-behavioral approach to teach children to become more aware of and independent in controlling their emotions and impulses, by managing their sensory needs and improve their ability to problem solve conflicts and share. For more information visit their website at http://www.zonesofregulation.com/learn-more-about-the-zones.html. Jennifer has received first-hand training on this approach by the therapist who developed the curriculum.

Integrated Listening Systems: The iLs system helps to train body/brain integration through a staged approach, starting with the fundamentals of sensory integration and extending through more complex cognitive functions. The iLs program is based on “neuroplasticity” and the fact that the neuronal connections can be improved. For more information on this program visit https://integratedlistening.com/. Jennifer has received certification in the use of iLs for home and clinic use.

STAR Model: The STAR Institue for sensory processing disorders provides treatment, education, and research for children, adolescents and adults with SPD. The STAR Institue provides clinicians with a unique opportunity to receive ongoing education to develop advanced clinical reasoning and treatment skills for individuals with sensory processing.

VitalStim: VitalStim is the only FDA-cleared treatment for NMES (neuromuscular electrical stimulation) treatment for dysphagia. This modality is specifically designed to improve the mechanisms of the swallow. Visit https://www.ciaoseminars.com/home/vitalstim/ for more information. Jennifer is certified to provide treatment using the VitalStim+ system.”

Ms. Shivali
Physical Therapist

Shivali’s journey with kids began over 15 years ago, where she’s been fortunate to witness their incredible growth as a Physical Therapist. After graduating in 2009, she established her own practice in India, nurturing a deep understanding of individual needs and fostering a supportive environment.

Relocating to Virginia in 2013, Shivali embraced new challenges. She thrived in an outpatient Functional Movement based setting, collaborating with Speech, Occupational, Developmental therapists as well as movement aides and assistants to provide a holistic approach to her therapeutic interventions. Her passion for supporting families flourished as an Early Interventionist for Fairfax County, where she valued the importance of natural environments, parental participation and individualized care to support children and their families meet their functional goals. She worked as an Assistive Technology manager to handle all the therapeutic equipment for the county therapists and patients. Shivali brings a wealth of experience to her practice, having dedicated her career to supporting children from infancy through young adulthood. She has a deep understanding of diverse developmental needs, including those facing children with Delayed milestones, Torticollis, Down syndrome, Plagiocephaly, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, ADD, Muscular Dystrophies, Cerebral Palsyand genetic abnormalities. Her approach is multi-faceted, drawing from a range of evidence-based therapies such as Total Motion Release, DIR Floortime, Kinesio Taping, Learning Without Tears to name a few to create personalized treatment plans that foster each child’s unique growth and development.

The summer of 2022 brought the family to sunny California, where Shivali currently dedicates her expertise to supporting children within a school district and with Joy and Laughter.

Beyond the clinic, Shivali cherishes her role as a mother to two vibrant daughters. Together with her husband, they embrace adventures, exploring new parks and hiking trails. A culinary enthusiast, Shivali delights in creating healthy and exciting meals for her family. And for a touch of self-care, she enjoys crafting her own skincare products for her family and friends!
Shivali is thrilled to bring her passion, experience and playful spirit for pediatric therapy to JLD, empowering children to reach their full potential.

Ms. Jennifer
Speech Language Pathologist, Feeding Specialist

Since earning her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Arizona Jennifer has specialized in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders; working in hospitals, clinics and home health settings. For over 10 years she has been evaluating and treating children, newborns to adolescents, with a variety of disorders including, premature birth, autism spectrum disorders, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, tongue and tip tie, cleft lip and palate, organ transplant recipients and medically fragile children. She has transitioned medically fragile infants and children from tube feedings to oral feedings and advised physicians on feeding tube removals. She has completed training in the “Get Permission Approach to Feeding Therapy”, “Beckman Oral Motor Protocol,” and “Tethered Oral Tissues Specialty Training.” Additionally, she has specialized training in the underlying medical causes of feeding and swallowing disorders and in assembling and working with an interdisciplinary medical team to address often overlooked medical issues. She conducts training with local medical professionals to provide education on pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. She uses a whole-body approach when assessing and treating feeding and swallowing disorders.

Jennifer is a certified infant massage instructor and utilizes these skills to teach family massage techniques that improve parent-child attachment, muscle activation, and digestion. She also enjoys and has experience in providing pediatric speech and language evaluations and therapy to children with a variety of special needs including those who have a tracheostomy tube, are medically fragile, born premature, have developmental delays, autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, cognitive disabilities, chromosome abnormalities, drug exposure, tongue thrust, etc. Jennifer has advanced proficiency in American Sign Language and has employed this skill to improve the communication within D/deaf and hard of hearing families and hearing families who want to use a total communication approach. She is TOTS certified as well.

Jennifer and her husband have three young children. They all love riding bikes, hiking, and exploring California together. She is scuba certified and loves traveling back home to Florida to dive in the warm water.