An Ear Infection is the most common childhood illness other than a cold. It occurs most often in children who are between age 3months and 3years up until age 8. About 25% of all children will have repeated ear infections.
So therefore, what can be done when a child has an ear infection?...
At times, Earache isn’t caused by infection and some middle ear infections may get better without antibiotics. Using antibiotics carefully and with a good reason helps prevent the development of bacteria that become resistant to antibiotics.
An antibiotic such as amoxicillin would be prescribed to be taken over 7 to 10days. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen or eardrops may be prescribed to help with the pain or fever (Always consult your pharmacist or doctor before giving your child any medication)
Note that if your child is given an antibiotic, it is important to make sure he/she takes it exactly as prescribed and for the full amount of time. Even though the child may seem better in a few days, the infection still hasn’t completely cleared from the ear. Stopping the medicine too soon could allow the ear infection to come back.
It’s also crucial to return for your child’s follow-up visit, so that the doctor can check if the infection is gone.
When antibiotics aren’t helping, a surgical procedure may be recommended that places a small ventilation tube in the eardrum to improve airflow and prevent fluid backup in the middle ear. The most frequently used tubes stay in place for six to nine months and require follow-up visits until they fall out.
If positioning of the tubes still doesn’t prevent infections, a doctor may consider removing the adenoids to prevent infection from spreading to the eustachian tubes.
Here are some things you can do to lower your child’s risk for ear infections:
- Vaccinate your child against the flu
- It is advisable that you vaccinate your child with the 13-valent pneumococcal congugate vaccine (PCV 13). The PCV 13 protects against more types of infection causing bacteria than the previous vaccine, the PCV 7
- Washing hands frequently
- Avoid exposing your baby to cigarette smoke. Studies have shown that babies who are close to smokers have more ear infections
- Do not put your baby down for a nap, or for the night with a bottle
- Never allow sick children to spend time together. As much as possible, restrict your child’s exposure to other children when your child or your child’s playmates are sick
- Reduce your child’s exposure to colds during the first year of life
- Breastfeed your baby during the first 6 to 12months of life. Antibodies in breast milk repress the rate of ear infections
- Bottle-feed your baby in an upright angle. Feeding in the horizontal position can cause formula and other fluids to flow back into the eustachian tubes.Allowing an infant to hold his/her own bottle can cause milk to drain into the middle ear
- Watch out for mouth breathing or snoring. Constant snoring or breathing through the mouth maybe caused by large adenoids and these may contribute to ear infections
- Earaches tend hurt more at bedtime. Using a warm compress on the outside of the ear may also help relieve pain (This is not recommended in infants)
Warning: Never give aspirin to children as this can cause a life-threatening condition called Reye’s syndrome
Dr.Favvy
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