Journals Information
International Journal of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science(CEASE PUBLICATION) Vol. 1(2), pp. 24 - 30
DOI: 10.13189/ijnbs.2013.010202
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Prevention of Infant鈥橲 Otic Barotrauma 鈥� Observing the Infant Prior to Air Travel and Identifying Infants Less Likely At Risk
Klaus Martin Beckmann *
School of Medicine, Griffith University, Logan Campus, Queensland
ABSTRACT
Otic barotrauma is a potential risk for travelers using commercial aircraft. A significant proportion of passengers are infants. No literature exists regarding pre-flight assessment for prevention of barotrauma in infants due to air travel. Infants are preverbal in their development and cannot communicate their distress with words, though will show age-typical distress and pain responses. Pain and concomitant trauma, where possible, are ideally prevented. This paper suggests that it may be possible for parents to detect prior to flight whether their infant is likely to suffer pain from Eustachian tube malfunction with in-flight cabin pressure changes. This may be achieved by co-incidental observation of infants and their subsequent distress with small rapid air pressure change, such as in rapid elevator ascent/descent, which elicits 鈥渆ar popping鈥� in the parents. This may help predict a healthy infant鈥檚 response to change in air pressure during air travel. A case example is given. Barotrauma in the context of the infant鈥檚 neuropsychology is described and relevant literature to the topic is reviewed.
KEYWORDS
Infant, Ear, Air Travel, Barotrauma, Prevention
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Klaus Martin Beckmann , "Prevention of Infant鈥橲 Otic Barotrauma 鈥� Observing the Infant Prior to Air Travel and Identifying Infants Less Likely At Risk," International Journal of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science(CEASE PUBLICATION), Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 24 - 30, 2013. DOI: 10.13189/ijnbs.2013.010202.
(b). APA Format:
Klaus Martin Beckmann (2013). Prevention of Infant鈥橲 Otic Barotrauma 鈥� Observing the Infant Prior to Air Travel and Identifying Infants Less Likely At Risk. International Journal of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science(CEASE PUBLICATION), 1(2), 24 - 30. DOI: 10.13189/ijnbs.2013.010202.