Although ear infections make children uncomfortable and worry parents, most ear infections will clear up on their own. Children usually outgrow ear infections before they are five years old. If your child has symptoms of an ear infection your should contact your doctor to determine the treatment needed for your child.
Types
Otitis media, also known as a middle ear infection, is one of the most common illnesses in children. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, three out of four children have an ear infection before they are three years old.
Swimmer's ear, or otitis externa, is another common ear infection in children. It is an infection of the ear canal.
Causes
A middle ear infection normally starts from a viral infection in which the middle ear lining becomes swollen and fluid builds up behind the eardrum. Children's tubes connecting the middle ear to the nose are narrower and shorter than adults, therefore making them more likely to develop an ear infection.
Swimmer's ear is caused by bacteria entering the skin of the inner ear. This may be due to excess moisture in the ear from swimming, a break or abrasion in the skin from scratching or a rash caused by sensitivity to hair products.
Symptoms
Symptoms your child may have a middle ear infection include the child complaining about ear pain, pulling at the ears, crying more than normal, trouble sleeping, trouble hearing, a fever above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, clear fluid drainage and headaches.
The main symptom of swimmers ear is ear pain which may get worse if the outer part of the ear is pressed on or pulled. Other symptoms include itching in the ear canal, redness of the skin in the ear canal, drainage of odorless fluid and a feeling of fullness in the ear.
Risk Factors
According to MayoClinic.com, children between the ages of six and eighteen months are more susceptible to ear infections, and ear infections are common in children ages four months to four years. Children in child care setting are exposed to more viruses, therefore they may have more ear infections, as are babies who drink bottles while lying down. Ear infections are also more common in children who have a family member with ear infections.
Risk factors for swimmers ear include swimming often and swimming in water with higher than normal bacterial levels, having a small ear canal, excessive earwax and excessive cleaning of the ear canal.
Treatment
Some ear infections do not need to be treated with antibiotics. Many doctors will wait to see if the infection clears up on its own within seventy-two hours in children older than six months and otherwise healthy. According to MayoClinic.com, 80 percent of children with middle ear infections recover without antibiotics. A doctor may recommend acetaminophen or ibuprofen for the pain. Children younger than six months, or children with past ear infections will usually be prescribed an antibiotic. If antibiotics do not clear up an ear infection, or your child has recurrent ear infections, your doctor may recommend drainage tubes.
Treatment for swimmers is aimed to stop the infection and allow the ear canal to heal. Medications may be prescribed to reduce inflammation and fight the bacterial or fungal infection.
Complications
Complications of a middle ear infection include a ruptured eardrum. A ruptured eardrum may result in a discharge of pus or blood from the ear. A ruptured eardrum may actually relieve your child's pain and is not an urgent emergency. You should see your doctor within a few days for treatment if you think your child may have a ruptured eardrum. Other complications of long-lasting or recurrent ear infections include short-term hearing loss and long-term hearing loss if fluid remains in the middle ear for months.
Swimmer's ear complications include temporary hearing loss, deep skin infection from chronic swimmer's ear and bone or cartilage damage if the infection spreads to the cartilage of the outer ear.
