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By Jeffrey Peebles, M.D. – Southlake MedicalbrDirector, CompletebrCare
Most children will have tobrdeal with ear infections at one time or another as they go through the toddler stage, with thebrmajority of them suffering one by the time they reach the age of 3. Here isbrsome information on this condition, and ways to tell if one may be developingbrin your child.
Why Children Develop Them So Easily
Children are much morebrlikely than adults to develop ear infections, and there are several reasons whybrthis occurs. First, a child's Eustachian tubes are a great deal smaller than anbradult's, and as a result, it is much more difficult for fluid to drain from thebrear canal. When these tubes are blocked with mucus due to an illness such as abrcold, they may not be able to drain at all.
In addition, the immunebrsystem of a child is still developing, which makes it harder to fight earbrinfections. Another common reason for ear infections is that bacteria passingbrthrough the mouth and nose can become caught in the adenoids, passing to thebrEustachian tubes and middle ear.
Prevention
While there may be nobrsure-fire way to prevent ear infections in children, there are some ways youbrcan help reduce the chances your child will get one. First, do not smoke aroundbra child. Children who are in homes with cigarette smokers are more susceptiblebrto infections – even the smoke fumes on clothing and hair can cause problems.
If possible, breast-feedbryour baby, especially if you have a family history of ear infections. If youbrmust bottle-feed, make sure your baby does not drink while lying down.
Also, wash your handsbrregularly to help prevent the spread of infections by killing the germs thatbrcan cause them.
Symptoms and Treatment
There are many ways that youbrcan tell when there is a good chance your child is developing an ear infection.brHe or she may have difficulty sleeping, or be fussier or cry more than usual.brYour child may tug at his or her ears or have trouble with keeping his or herbrbalance. Some children also have a hard time responding to quiet sounds or hearingbrat all.
In most cases, a doctor willbrprescribe amoxicillin or some other type of antibiotic for about 7-10 days.brEardrops and over-the-counter medications could help with fever and discomfortbras well. If antibiotics are prescribed it is very important your child takesbrthem exactly as directed and for the exact period of time your doctorrecommends. If you stop medication too soon, the infection could return.brSchedule a follow-up visit to ensure the infection has been eliminated.
If your child develops an ear infection or you everbrexperience any kind of medical emergency, get in touch with the experts atbrComplete Care. Contact us online to learnbrmore.
Dr. Jeffrey Peebles, M.D. has an extensive amount ofbrexperience in delivering advanced emergency care. He is board certified withbrthe American Board of Emergency Medicine, and a member of the American Collegebrof Emergency Physicians/Texas College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Peebles isbrcommitted to providing timely, affordable and high-quality medical care to thebrSouthlake community.