Dealing with infant ear infection can be a trying time for parents. Unlike older children, babies and infants can’t tell the parent where the problem lies and usually it’s a matter of looking for other factors.
A baby tugging on it’s ears may be cause to suspect ear infection but studies have clearly indicated this is most often not the case.
Infant Ear Infections – Pain Is The Biggest Clue
Ear aches can come on very quickly and the accompanying symptoms will be pain and usually fever. Pain is obviously the biggest giveaway in toddler ear infections because make no mistake, they hurt!
This is one of the reasons if a child continually pulls on it’s ear but appears to be in no discomfort at all that ear infection is usually ruled out. There could be a host of other reasons why the child is tugging it’s ear such as teething, curiosity by the child, itching and yes, even habitual. A little like sucking the thumb. But what does an adult with their first child and no relative experience in this area do? The most obvious course of action is to head to the doctor.
Ear Infections In Babies
It’s always been one of the biggest tell tale signs in detecting all is not right with a baby. Crying and a change in mood. The child usually displays a fair amount of irritability and becomes a little fussy. They’ll cry more often, usually in short sharp bursts. But how do you know if it’s infant ear infection?
If the child has had a cold or flu then this is a major catalyst for developing ear infection. If a fever is also present then a trip to the doctor is the best course of action.
What Causes Infant Ear Infection?
Fluid buid up around the baby’s eardrum accompanied by bacterial build up will lead to ear infection. The reason the build up occurs is because the Eustachian tube can become blocked. Normally fluid will travel through the Eustachian tube and leave the area but when it becomes trapped in the middle ear, it becomes a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. In time, swelling develops around the eardrum followed by pain and an ear infection is born.
Treatment Of Infant Ear Infection
Over half of infant ear infection episodes may improve without treatment. There is a theory that waiting three to four days once a diagnosis has been made could be the best course of action initially but if the symptoms haven’t improved, then treatment intervention is usually pursued.
Debate continues on whether antibiotic treatment is the best course of action although with very young children, doctors will usually play it safe and prescribe them. Associated pain relieving medication may also be suggested to accompany the antibiotic treatment.
