Your Childrens Health

Two out of three children experience at least one ear infection by age two.  The most common causes of ear infections are colds which caused the Eustachian tubes to swell and close.  Fluids then build up in the middle ear, which cause pain and sometimes temporary hearing loss.  Ear infections are most common in the winter and early spring.

The symptoms of ear infection can include chills and fever, congestion and a runny nose.  Your child may also exhibit fussiness and an inability to sleep.  There may be discharge coming from your child’s ear, which is a definite sign of an ear infection, or eye discharge.  Your child may also rubbing or tugging at his or her ears.  Since many of these symptoms can be associated with other medical problems, it is always best to see a doctor if you suspect your child has an ear infection.

To treat an ear infection, monitor your child’s fever closely.  Anything over 101 degrees is cause to see the doctor.  You can use a hot water bottle or heating pad on your child’s ear to relieve some of the pain.  Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help clear the infection.  It is very important that you finish the course of the antibiotics even if the symptoms seem to subside.  Ask your doctor about using acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help ease the pain.  Follow up with your doctor after your child’s ear infection has cleared because complications can occur.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 28th, 2006 at 5:36 am and is filed under Uncategorized, Pregnancy and Newborns, Infections, Adolescence. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.