Key points to remember about ear infections
- ear infections are very common in young children
- they can cause pain, and often fever
- antibiotics are not always needed
- pain relief is important
- there may be some fluid in the space behind the ear drum (middle ear) for several weeks or months after the infection. This is normal, and usually clears up on its own
- most children outgrow ear infections and have perfect and undamaged ears and normal hearing
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if you think your child has an ear infection, take them to your family doctor
What are the signs and symptoms of an ear infection?
Older children will complain of significant ear pain and may have a fever. They may also feel unwell and complain of reduced hearing in the affected ear.
In babies and younger children, sometimes the only sign of an ear infection is a fever.
Younger children may also:
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cry and become very upset / distressed / irritable and hard to deal with
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have very disturbed sleep at the beginning of the infection
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be harder to settle to sleep
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vomit, lose interest in eating, seem to have no energy
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become “clingy” and “grizzly”
Sometimes pus will burst through the eardrum. The pus looks like snot coming out of the ear. When the ear drum bursts, children often feel better as the pressure causing the pain is suddenly released. The burst eardrum usually heals without treatment or future problems.
What is the treatment for an ear infection?
Pain relief
Regular pain relief is important to help your child feel more comfortable. Paracetamol and / or ibuprofen can help reduce pain, and also lower fever which can make your child feel better. You must follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. It is dangerous to give more than the recommended dose. Your family doctor or pharmacist can advise you on the right dose of pain relief medicine for your child.
Antibiotics
Your doctor may either:
- wait to see whether the infection will clear up by itself, or
- recommend treatment with antibiotics, if your child is unwell and feverish
Your child's doctor will be happy to discuss your child's treatment with you so that you can be involved in the treatment decisions. The decision about whether or not to use antibiotics may depend on some of the following factors:
- how severe the infection is
- how old your child is
- how often your child has had middle ear infections before
- how long your child has had this infection
- whether your child has ever had complications from ear infections before
- whether your child has any other medical conditions
- your views on how to manage your child's ear problems
When should I seek help?
The symptoms of ear infections also occur in other illnesses; for this reason, if you suspect your child has an ear infection, take them to your family doctor. Your doctor will examine your child to see if an ear infection (or another problem) is the cause of your child's symptoms.
Once an ear infection is diagnosed, your child should start to improve within 24 to 48 hours. If the symptoms are no better or are getting worse, or you are worried about your child, take them back to your family doctor.
You should should always take your child to your family doctor to have their ears reviewed after any ear infection, to make sure the ear fluid has gone. This recheck usually happens around four to six weeks after the infection.
You should also take your child to your family doctor if:
- your child's ear starts to discharge
- your child has a fever which doesn't go away after 24 – 48 hours
- you are worried about the continuing unwellness of your child
You need to take your child to a doctor immediately if your child:
- has any swelling, redness or tenderness in or around the ear
- is feeding poorly
- has any change in consciousness
- has a stiff neck
- has sensitivity to light
If your child keeps getting frequent ear infections, they may need to see an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist to consider grommets (tympanostomy or ventilation tubes)
© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2011
| The Paediatric Society of New Zealand http://www.paediatrics.org.nz |
Starship Foundation http://www.starship.org.nz |