When my child was young he was a lap child, and in July I travelled with someone across the aisle whose two year old cried nearly non-stop no matter what the parents did. I asked them if they had given their child Children's Advil (or something similar) and was told they do not use drugs for their children. I said I understood their stance as I too rarely gave my child such drugs but the paediatrician had explained to me the Etruscan tubes are so narrow that they block easily and it is criminal not to give the child pain relief 20 minutes before take off and 20 minutes before landing as well as having them drink/breastfeed for the swallowing action.

I guess carrying and giving children's pain relief is not an option (for many obvious reasons) but it would be nice if UA posted some guidelines on this issue as it is not fun for the parents, fellow passengers and most of all the poor infants/children.