| Ear Infections | |
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Next to the common cold, an ear infection is the most common childhood illness. In fact most children have had at least one ear infection by the time they are three years old. Most of the time, ear infections clear up without causing any lasting problems. However, if they occur often or are not treated appropriately, they can lead to hearing loss or other damage. How do ear infections develop? When a child has a cold, nose or throat infection, or allergy, the eustacian tube can become blocked. This causes a build up fluid in the middle ear. If this fluid becomes infected by a virus or bacteria, it can cause swelling of the eardrum and pain in the ear. What are the risk factors for ear infections? 1. Age! Infants and young children are more likely to get ear infections because of the size and shape of their eustacian tubes. Children who have their first ear infection before six months of age are more likely to have repeated infections. 2. Colds/Allergies! Children will have colds during the first few years of life and these can lead to ear infections. Children in group child care settings have a higher chance of passing their colds to each other because they are exposed to more germs and viruses from other children. Allergies that cause stuffy noses can also lead to more ear infections. 3. Secondhand Tobacco Smoke! Children who breathe someone else's tobacco smoke have a higher risk of developing many health problems, including ear infections. 4. Bottle-feeding - babies who are bottle-fed, especially while lying down, get more ear infections that breast-fed babies. If you bottle feed your baby, hold your infants head above his stomach during feedings and do not prop the bottle. This will help keep the eustacian tube from getting blocked. 5. Pacifiers! Pacifiers have been connected with increased risk of ear infections. What are the symptoms of an ear infection? 1. Pain is the most common symptom of an ear infection. Trouble sleeping may be noticed because lying down can increase the ear pain. Sucking and swallowing can also cause pressure changes in the middle ear leading to increased irritability and decreased appetite. 2. Fever may accompany a fever and can range from 100-104 degrees. However, ear infections can occur without a fever. 3. Ear drainage can be noted with light yellow or white fluid or even blood-tinged fluid. The drainage will have a foul odor and will look different from normal ear wax. Pain often decreases once the drainage begins, but this does not always mean the infection is going away. 4. Difficulty hearing during and after and ear infection for several weeks is common. The happens because the fluid behind the eardrum gets in the way of the sound transmission. This is usually temporary and clears up after fluid from the middle ear drains away. How are ear infections treated? As many as 50% of ear infections get better on their own, but fever or pain lasting more than 2 days should be evaluated by our office. We will help you decide if an antibiotic will be helpful. Make sure your child finishes the entire prescription, even though the pain and fever should go away within 48 to 72 hours after starting the antibiotic. If you stop the medication before it is finished, some of the bacteria may remain and cause the infection to start all over again. What can I do at home? 1. Use ibuprofen or acetaminophen for the first 2-3 days as needed for pain. 2. Keep your child sitting up as much as possible. An extra pillow for an older child is helpful. For an infant, elevate the crib mattress instead. Never use pillows in a crib. 3. Reassure your child that popping in the ears is a normal sign of healing. 4. Be sure to finish all the antibiotic and keep any recheck appointments recommended. Why do we treat ear infections? 1. Treatment will decrease the child's pain. 2. Treatment will decrease the risk that the ear drum will burst. This is nature's way of letting the pus out. The ear drum can heal on its own, but it can lead to a persisting hole that has to be surgically repaired. 3. Treatment will decrease the risk of labyrithitis which can lead to dizziness and imbalance. 4. Treatment will decrease the risk of mastoiditis which is an infection of the skull behind the ear. 5. Treatment will decrease the risk of memingitis which is an infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. 6. Treatment will decrease the risk of scarring and thickening of the ear drum. 7. Treatment will decrease the risk of facial paralysis. 8. Treatment will decrease the risk of permanent hearing loss. Are ear infections contagious? No. It is the cold that usually comes before an ear infection that is contagious. Children with ear infections do not need to stay home after their fever has resolved, as long as their care-giver can give them their medications properly. |
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