Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Ear infections are quite common in children. In the United States, one in every 10 children will develop otitis media - the medical term for middle ear infection. The number of children with otitis media is 10 times higher than that of adults. Ear infections are the second most common cause of needing to see a doctor, and the most common reason for the prescription of antibiotics in children.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Finding an infection

1. 

   Identify an ear infection. The middle ear is the gas chamber and lined with mucous membranes, located between the inner and outer ear of the body. The middle ear canal is called the Eustachian tube, which normalizes the pressure between the outside and inside of the body. Located between the middle ear and the outer ear is the eardrum.
   • An ear infection, also known as acute otitis media, occurs when the Eustachian tubes become blocked with swelling, inflammation, a virus that causes infection of the upper respiratory tract and fluid discharge, allergies that cause irritation, and teething. causes increased production of saliva and mucus, infected or bulging throat, and cigarette smoke.

2. 

   
   
   Evaluate your risk factors for otitis media. Children from 18 months to 6 years old, children in kindergartens, children exposed to smoke at home are at risk of developing middle ear infections. Children who use a nipple, bottle or not breastfeed are more likely to develop middle ear infections because bottle feeding changes the flow of fluid in the Eustachian tube.
   • You tend to be more prone to middle ear infections in the fall and winter, if you have certain conditions such as allergies and if someone in your family has had middle ear infections. Many cases of middle ear infections occur during or shortly after a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract.

3. 

   
   
   Watch for changes in your behavior. Ear infections often increase pressure and cause pain. When they are in pain, babies often become more upset and fussy. Lying, chewing or sucking will increase pressure and cause more pain. Children may tug or pull their ears to relieve pressure and pain. However, ear twitching is not always a warning sign of a middle ear infection.
   • Ear infections also cause difficulty hearing and poor response to sound. The middle ear, if filled with bacteria and infected fluid, will inhibit the transmission of sound waves and affect hearing.

4. 

   
   
   Observe symptoms. Besides ear pain, otitis media also presents many other symptoms. Patients may have a fever above 38oC, headache, loss of appetite, awkwardness and loss of balance. An ear infection can increase your body temperature as a response to infection of the immune system. Headaches and loss of appetite are often caused by fever. Inflammation of the middle ear can also cause vomiting or diarrhea.
   • The sick person may also experience drainage from the ear. If the pressure in the ear rises high enough and the Eustachian tube can't expand enough to drain the fluid, the eardrum can tear. Torn eardrums allow fluid to flow out of the ear, and the pressure won't be hurt. See your doctor if you think your baby may have a torn eardrum.
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Part 2 of 3: Treatment of otitis media

1. 

   Wait and see. As recommended by the American Association of Family Physicians, “wait and see” is a treatment for otitis media in many cases. Most infections go away on their own within 2 weeks and pain should be significantly reduced within 3-4 days.
   • You should be monitored for children aged 6-23 months with fever not exceeding 39 ° C, mild pain in only one ear, and no symptoms for more than 48 hours.
   • You should also be monitored for children 24 months and older with mild pain in one or both ears, fever not exceeding 39 ° C, and symptoms not showing for more than 48 hours.
   • “Wait and see” is not a viable option for a child with cleft palate, Down syndrome, an immune system disorder, who is under 6 months old and has had an ear infection before.

2. 

   Consider treatment with antibiotics. In some cases, your doctor will recommend an antibiotic at the first treatment of otitis media, especially for infants under 6 months of age, children with moderate to severe pain, fever up to 39 ° C or higher, children aged 6-23 months with both ears infection. Complications for otitis media in children and adults are infection in another place in the head, even the brain, permanent deafness, or nerve paralysis in the face.
   • Although antibiotics help keep bacteria from growing in the middle ear, the pressure and pain take several days to relieve.
   • Watch for side effects of antibiotics. Some children may experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea while taking antibiotics.

3. 

   Relieve pain and discomfort. Even though they are prescribed antibiotics, both children and adults will continue to experience pain and pressure until the infection disappears. The following ways will help relieve pain:
   • Take Tylenol or ibuprofen for pain relief and fever. Consult with your doctor about appropriate over-the-counter medications and children's dosages. Do not give aspirin to children because it is the cause of Reye's syndrome.

4. 

   Apply a warm cloth or a bottle of warm water. You can apply a warm cloth or a bottle of warm water to the sore ear to relieve the pain. The temperature from the cloth or bottle should be moderate to avoid burning your skin. The cloth should be placed in a sealed plastic bag to prevent any heat evaporation.
   • Putting a cloth that radiates warm water over the ear can increase the risk of ear infections in swimmers.

5. 

   Ask your doctor about pain relief ear drops. If the pain is severe, you can ask your doctor about ear drops. Ear drops should only be used when the eardrum is not torn. If the eardrum tears, the ear drops get into the middle ear and cause damage.

6. 

   Consult your doctor when using garlic or olive oil. Garlic has antibacterial properties, thus helping to fight infections naturally. On the other hand, warm olive oil will help soothe eardrums, relieve pain and inflammation.
   • You should not give / put anything in your ear if you have the tube in the eardrum or suspect that the eardrum has been torn. Do not let oil, medicine (other than those prescribed specifically for tearing the eardrum) or ear drops should come into contact with the middle ear.
   • Absolutely do not use oil that is too warm to avoid burning the ears. Should test the oil on the wrist first.

7. 

   Limit your activities. People with ear infections should limit activities, depending on the person's feelings. Otitis is not a life-threatening illness and does not require the patient to completely stop all activities. If your child can go out to play, let him go. The same goes for adults.
   • If your child is not upset and excited about the plan of play, you don't have to stop them.
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Part 3 of 3: Preventing otitis media

1. 

   Study of the Myringotomy tube or the ear canal. This is a surgical tube placed in a child's ear with chronic otitis media. These tubes help reduce pressure and circulate fluid, thereby reducing fluid accumulation in the middle ear and reducing ear infections.
   • Although it is minor surgery, but due to its anesthetic involvement, ear canal can lead to dangers such as damage to the larynx, tooth and tongue injury, temporary psychosis, heart attack, lung infection and even (but rarely) death. The risks of anesthesia are usually low in healthy children and adults, but higher in people with other medical conditions.

2. 

   Breastfeed in a standing position. Do not let your baby lie down on a bottle. Lying on the bottle will cause the fluid to flow back up the Eustachian tube and create a growing environment for the bacteria that cause middle ear infections. The lower the baby's head when feeding (eating), the higher the risk of backflow of fluid onto the Eustachian tube with infection.

3. 

   Reduce your exposure to tobacco smoke. Tobacco and tobacco smoke increase the inflammatory response in the Eustachian duct as well as the risk of otitis media. Limit contact with smokers. Infected people should not smoke cigarettes and avoid being around smokers.

4. 

   Limit contact with sick people. Viral upper respiratory tract infections increase the risk of otitis media due to infected fluid blocking the Eustachian tube. By limiting your contact with sick children, you can reduce the risk of otitis media for yourself or your baby.
   • Children should not go to school if they have a fever.

5. 

   Get your child vaccinated on time, including the annual flu vaccine. Ear infections often occur after flu. You can prevent some of the bacteria that cause common ear infections such as pneumococcal Streptococcus pneumonia and Haemophilus influenza bacteria by getting vaccinated. advertisement

Advice

• Pain from an ear infection is usually most severe in the first 24 hours and can resolve within 3 days. Antibiotics cannot relieve pain and pressure for at least 48 hours. Whether or not your doctor advises you to “wait and see”, you should use techniques to help relieve pain and pressure.
• Absolutely do not put anything in the ear if the eardrum tears.

Warning

• Do not use antihistamines or cold medicines to relieve congestion. These drugs often dry out body fluids, concentrate the level of bacteria in the middle ear and cannot relieve pressure, pain, or infection.
• See a doctor if the condition gets worse, does not get better within 3 days of taking antibiotics, hives, hives, swelling of the throat, lips / tongue, or difficulty breathing after taking antibiotics.