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If you have ever had an earache, you know how painful they can be, and when your child has one, it is even worse. You often feel helpless and wish you could take their pain away. Why do children get ear infections so much more often than adults? What are the causes, symptoms and treatment?
Otitis media, this is the medical term for a middle ear infection, which is the infection children get. Children are more commonly affected than adults because their eustacian tubes are smaller and shorter than that of an adult, thus, much easier for a bacteria to get into.
The symptoms of otitis media are:
-sharp pain in one or both ears
-fever
-irritability, fussiness, crying.
-sense of pressure in the ear
-possibly temporary hearing loss due to pus, fluid or swelling
-in a small child, they will pull at the ear almost constantly
-there may or may not be drainage from the ear, this happens if the eardrum ruptures.
Middle ear infections are caused by viruses and bacteria that infect the eustacian tube, throat and ear. When infected, they secrete mucus and fluid, clog the eustacian tube and cause a build up of fluid in the ear, pressing on the eardrum, causes the pain and pressure, and can cause the eardrum to rupture. Children with allergies are more at risk for ear infections. Chronic ear infections can cause hearing loss and interfere with a young child's speech development.
A serious complication with otitis media is if the bone in the middle ear, called the mastoid bone, becomes infected, it causes mastoiditis. It can lead to infection in the meninges (the membrane covering the brain), causing meningitis.
Examination of the ear and throat diagnose the otitis media. Throat culture may be needed to identify the bacteria. Pain medication, such as tylenol, is used for pain relief. Oral antibiotics are sometimes used and always antibiotic eardrops are prescribed. Use as directed, don't skip or stop until the doctor instructs you to.
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