So, here we go: Ear infections. If you missed it, this past week 4 y.o. C. has been miserable with an ear infection: fever, pain, off his food. He on antibiotics now, and on the mend. But when I went to look back, I realised that it’s been ages since we talked about this topic and I don’t have the previous posts on this archived.
Ear infection, or acute otitis media (AOM) is really common. 50% of children will have AOM at least once by their first birthday. In AOM, ear pain is typically felt deep within the ear. Often, the pain is worse when the child is laying down. Most children also have a stuffy or runny nose and cough – and usually those symptoms start first.
Why? The ear infection usually starts with a winter virus. Because young children have different anatomy than adults, the congestion can affect their ears. Young children make not be able to tell you that their ear is the problem. They may have fever, be fussy, off food or vomiting. Some children may pull at their ears. Sometimes the clue is that the child suddenly does not like the thermometer in one ear instead of the other.
AOM is commonest in 6-12 month olds, and can decrease slowly by the age of 6. Things that can increase risk of getting AOM? It does seem to run in families, more common in children who are exposed to second hand smoke, and more common in autumn/winter virus season. It’s also more common in children who attend creche. Important point: the ear infection itself is not contagious. However, the winter viruses that cause it are contagious.
When you go to the doc, what is s/he looking for? The tympanic membrane: clues such a bulging membrane, fluid level, change of colour of tympanic membrane – along with other symptoms – to get a good idea what is going on. There are other causes of ear pain in children, including pain from teeth/teething, sinuses, or the throat can be felt in the ear.
Treatment of an ear infection may include:
Medicines (paracetamol or ibuprofen) to treat pain and fever
Antibiotics are routinely given to infants who are younger than 24 months or who have high fever or infection in both ears.
Children who are older than 24 months and have mild symptoms may be treated with an antibiotic or often are observed to see if they improve without antibiotics. If your child is being observed rather than treated with antibiotics: You may sometimes be given the prescription and instructed to start the antibiotics if your child’s pain or fever continues or worsens; You may be advised to continue to hold antibiotics/observe if the child is improving. My best advice if this happens to is to pause before you leave the surgery and ask any questions you have (this can be hard with a squirming, fussy, sick baby) – even ask GP to write down what to look for or when to worry or when to come back.
What urban advice about ear infections is incorrect?
●Do not give a child with an ear infection cough or cold medicine or a decongestant. These have not been proven to speed healing or reduce complications of ear infections in children. In addition, these treatments have side effects that can be dangerous.
●A wide complementary and alternative medical (CAM) treatments are advertised to treat ear infections, however: salt rooms, chiropractic or osteopathic manipulations, multiple essential oils, acupuncture, and homeopathy have NOT been shown to treat or reduce ear infections in young children.
**Do NOT allow ANYONE except your doctor to recommend or to put something — anything — into your child’s ear.**
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