What to do if a child's ear hurts

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

These four steps will help you quickly relieve the condition and prevent unpleasant consequences.

So, you are a parent with a crying baby in his arms complaining of a sore ear. Without wasting time, let's get down to action.

1. Take it easy

Firstly, because the child is not well and at such a moment he especially needs a reliable, calm, confident shoulder of dad or mom. And not in this alarming one: "A-a-a, what to do ?!"

Secondly, ear pain in babies is a common occurrence of Ear Infections in Children and occurs much more frequently than in adults.

According to Quick Statistics About Hearing of the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (USA), five out of six children will develop an ear infection at least once before they are 3 years old.

There are quite natural reasons for this.

Physiological

In this picture, we are most interested in the Eustachian tube - the cavity that connects the ear to the nasopharynx. Normally, it serves to equalize pressure from the outside and in the middle ear cavity and is generally extremely useful. But sometimes it can be harmful.

The classic case is any ARVI, accompanied by snot. When we sniff (it doesn't matter if we are in or out of ourselves), mucus gets into the Eustachian tube. And it can block it. The natural pressure equalization mechanism is disrupted, and the eardrum bends due to the pressure difference. This is how acute pain appears.

The second point: together with the mucus, viruses and bacteria can enter the ear, which caused respiratory disease. There is inflammation - otitis media.

The eustachian tubes are shorter and straighter in children than in adults. That is why they are especially easily blocked by mucus, and microbes are just a stone's throw from the middle ear cavity.

Immune

A child's immune system is not yet as effective as that of an adult. Because of this, the body is not always able to fight the infection in time and otitis media occur more often.

Doctors are well aware of these features of the child's body and have a proven practice in the treatment of otitis media in children. In most cases, hospitalization is not required: you can help your baby cope with the disease at home. But sometimes there are difficult cases.

2. Make sure that the situation does not require an ambulance call

Contact your pediatrician as soon as possible, or even call an ambulance if Treating Ear Infections in Children:

• Ear infection symptoms (crying, fussing, fever, trying to hit the ear with your hands) are seen in a child younger than 6 months old;
• the baby cries incessantly, complains of severe pain;
• its temperature exceeds 38.8 ℃;
• the ear is swollen and / or fluid is leaking from it.

In such conditions, you may have to go with the child to the hospital.

If there is soreness, but there are no dangerous symptoms, still inform your pediatrician about the situation (it is better to call him at home). Only a doctor will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.

But before he comes, you can relieve the baby's condition on your own.

3. Help your child get rid of ear pain

Let's immediately mention two important "not":

• Do not give your baby an antibiotic unless the medicine is prescribed by a doctor! First, the self-prescription of such drugs is evil. Why - Lifehacker wrote in detail here. Second, a review of research published by Diagnosis, Microbial Epidemiology, and Antibiotic Treatment of Acute Otitis Media in Children in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 80% of children with ear infections recover in about three days without antibiotics. Only a pediatrician can determine whether your child belongs to the remaining 20%.
• Do not drip anything into your ears until your doctor prescribes drops! In some cases, this can worsen the baby's condition.

And here is what you can do, even if the pediatrician has not yet reached you.

Apply a warm, moist compress to your ear

It can be a heating pad wrapped in a thin napkin. Or a soft cloth dipped in warm water. Compressing will relieve pain and soothe.

Give a pain reliever

For children over 6 months of age, over-the-counter paracetamol or ibuprofen-based medications are suitable. Strictly follow the recommendations that are given in the instructions for a particular product!

And do not give children under the age of 14 (some sources even insist on 16) aspirin.

Water your baby more often

It doesn't matter what: water, milk, compote, juice, fruit drink. The main thing is that the child drinks. Swallowing helps clear mucus from the Eustachian tube and may relieve pain.

Lift his bed at the head of the bed

So that the head is higher than the body. This will improve drainage of your sinuses and Eustachian tube.

Don't put a pillow under your child's head - instead, place a couple of pillows under the mattress at the head of the bed.

4. Wait for the doctor and strictly follow his appointment

Let us remind you once again: it is in any case necessary to consult a pediatrician if an ear infection is suspected. Perhaps the doctor will prescribe medications for the child - vasoconstrictor, ear drops, or even an antibiotic. Strictly follow all your doctor's recommendations.

Within 3-4 days after the onset of the disease, the baby will feel practically healthy. If the pain in the ears continues, contact your pediatrician again as soon as possible so as not to miss the development of possible complications.