Treatment and symptoms of otitis media in newborns and infants. How to check if a baby's ears hurt? Understand that your baby has ear pain

When breastfeeding, it is impossible to completely insure the child against diseases. Otitis media is periodically diagnosed in newborns. The process occurs against the background of inflammation of the inner part of the ear. The situation is developing and can lead to infection. If you do not get rid of the disease in time, the risk of developing serious complications increases. That is why otitis media should be recognized at an early stage.

Reasons for the development of otitis media

It is important to know the causes of otitis media and try to completely protect the baby from their negative effects:

The pathology quite often develops against the background of complications after a cold. The situation is significantly aggravated if the necessary therapy has not been provided.
Otitis media can develop as a result of a household injury. That is why parents should be extremely careful when cleaning the baby’s ear canal.
Otitis media during breastfeeding can develop when milk or formula gets into the inner part of the ear. The fact is that in children under one year of age, the connecting canal between the ear and nasopharynx is very thin. If the baby is immediately turned over after feeding, a small part of the liquid can penetrate into the inner ear. If it does not leak out, the risk of active spread of infection increases. It is important to prevent the situation and promptly remove fluid from the ear canal.
Children under two years of age have an increased risk of adenoid growth. It is especially dangerous if at this moment there are infectious cells in the ear canal. They provoke inflammation in the middle ear and are therefore very dangerous.
In a newborn, otitis may develop against the background of congenital diseases of the pulmonary system.
Allergic reaction to food or other external components.
Spontaneous pressure may be applied to the eardrum. This situation occurs on an airplane or a sharp descent or ascent.
The baby's immunity is weakened. The protective functions of the body suffer if the baby is on an artificial feeding option.

Nature of the disease manifestation

Parents should know the signs of otitis in their infants, thanks to this they will be able to prevent the worsening of the disease:

Main symptoms of the disease:

It is easy to understand that a baby has otitis media. During feeding, he begins to be capricious and actively shake his head. The situation takes place against the backdrop of the influence of the reflex. At the moment, the baby is experiencing severe pain in the ears, which is bothering him. If the situation is not stopped in time, the baby may completely refuse to eat.
Symptoms of otitis media in infants are accompanied by an increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees.
If you press hard on the shell of the ear, the baby begins to experience severe pain. Some babies try to close it with their hands.
In newborns and infants, sleep deterioration occurs, which over time will lead to insomnia.
Vomiting occurs spontaneously and is in no way related to problems in the gastrointestinal tract.
The course of the disease is aggravated by a runny nose and severe redness in the area.
Parents may also notice worsening breathing. The child begins to breathe through the mouth, and shortness of breath is observed after active movements.
Purulent otitis media poses a great danger. In this case, a clear liquid is released from the ear, which confirms the presence of infection inside.

Parents should not ignore obvious signs of otitis media in an infant. Symptoms are often complex. Timely treatment of otitis will help avoid serious complications in the future. If the baby has become capricious and cries a lot, then parents should carefully analyze the situation and eliminate the cause.

Using a Wet Compress to Treat Otitis

Basic methods and features of treatment of the disease in infants

It is important to recognize the symptoms of otitis in an infant in time. In this case, it will be possible to eliminate the disease within a short time. Only a doctor can determine how to treat otitis media. Self-medication will not only not give the desired result, but can only worsen the course of the disease. In this case, the risk of developing complications and the transition of the disease to the chronic stage increases.

You can treat otitis in a baby at home. To do this, it is not at all necessary to go to the hospital. However, it is necessary to consult a doctor. He will be able to carefully analyze the situation and select effective methods to eliminate the symptoms and the inflammation itself. You should only contact an experienced ENT specialist.

We have already found out how to recognize otitis media in an infant. All that remains is to install techniques that will allow you to quickly and effectively get rid of the disease:

Otitis externa can be quickly treated with a dry and warm compress. To do this, using a special technique, you need to make small tampons that are placed in the ear canal. To improve the effect, you need to wear a warm cap over them. This method of treatment should be abandoned if the disease is accompanied by the release of a large amount of pus. In this case, regularly applying compresses can only aggravate the nature of the symptoms.
It is necessary to resort to the wet compress method if the child experiences an increase in body temperature above 37.5 degrees. To prepare it, a cotton swab is soaked in alcohol and applied directly to the ear area itself. However, direct placement in the ear canal should be avoided.
A blue lamp will allow you to quickly eliminate catarrhal otitis media. The device is used to reduce pain. To improve the effect, it must be used before each feeding. In this case, the baby is guaranteed to have an appetite and will be able to eat well.
In ancient times, a complex of medicinal herbs was used to eliminate otitis media. They are still preferred today because they cannot harm the baby’s body. For example, not all medications and drops are approved for treating a one-month-old baby. You can get rid of otitis media by using geranium or aloe juice.

Only a doctor can choose the right ear drops

If in addition the patient experiences an increase in body temperature, then it is impossible to do without medication. Otherwise, the risk of developing malnutrition and refusal to eat increases. In severe cases of the disease, it is impossible to do without antibiotics or drugs against the virus. Only a doctor can determine otitis in a baby and choose the right course of treatment. Independent selection of the drug is strictly prohibited. Otipax receives a large number of positive reviews. These drops have an adapted composition, so they can be used to treat an infant.

Prevention of disease development

As one of the main methods to prevent the development of otitis media, it is necessary to regularly clean the middle canal of the ear. To do this, it is advisable to use soft ear sticks. Parents should not try to go too deep inside. During and for some period after it, it is necessary for a nursing mother to hold the baby in an upright position. Thanks to this, the liquid will not be able to penetrate inside the ear canal and create a favorable environment for the growth of infections.

It is necessary to check your child for the presence of otitis immediately after a runny nose. The situation with complications can be avoided only if the course of treatment was initially selected correctly. In this case, the likelihood of inflammation is minimized.

Symptoms and treatment of otitis media are inextricably linked. It is important to recognize them in time and seek help from a specialist. You can avoid the accumulation of mucus in the ear canal only if you provide it with enough fluids. The liquid promotes the rapid removal of harmful components. This reduces the likelihood of clogging to a minimum. It is important to provide the baby with optimal temperature conditions in the room. The room should not be more than 20 degrees. If your baby is suspected of having ear inflammation, he should wear a hat at all times. Even in the warm season, it will help prevent harmful components from penetrating inside. You should temporarily avoid walking outdoors in windy weather.

Careful care of the auricle will prevent the development of diseases

The danger of otitis media for an infant

The condition of the middle ear canal is important for hearing. If inflammation or damage is observed in it, then a course of treatment must be started immediately. Otherwise, the baby may lose hearing, which cannot be restored even with the help of surgery. If the damage has reached the inside, then getting rid of hearing impairment in this case will be much more difficult.

Against the background of otitis media, damage to the sinuses of the ear or brain may also develop. The situation is not only dangerous, but can aggravate the functioning of the heart or respiratory system. If pain persists for a long time, the disease can lead to hearing loss completely or partially.

Purulent otitis media can develop into meningitis. In this case, the baby suffers from severe pain. The situation is exhausting and depletes the body, so the child sleeps poorly and refuses to eat.

Experts' opinion

At the first stage of a patient’s visit to a doctor, the integrity of the eardrum is established. An otoscope is used during the examination. If there is damage to the eardrum, drops or other medications should not be used for treatment.

The eardrum will need to be pierced to remove pus from the canal. Thanks to this, it will be possible to stop the development of purulent otitis media. At this stage, the disease is characterized by severe pain, which causes a lot of inconvenience to the little patient.

Among the reasons for the development of otitis media, unfavorable external influences come first. However, a link with genetic predisposition has been established. The fact is that in some babies the ear canal is located at the wrong angle. Thanks to this, fluid from the nasopharynx can easily penetrate into the ear canal.

If the treatment is chosen correctly, otitis media will not affect the child’s hearing in any way. Only in some cases its partial loss is observed within three months. This situation is considered normal and goes away on its own.

Some experts advise against resorting to procedures that involve heating the ear. If pus accumulates inside, then high temperatures can only worsen the course of otitis media. In this case, the baby will also experience an increase in body temperature.
Otitis develops in direct correlation with conjunctivitis. If this eye disease was previously diagnosed, then it is necessary to further examine the ear cavity. Parents should be attentive to the patient's health status and, if negative symptoms are present, seek advice from their doctor.

The ear canal also affects balance and the functioning of the vestibular system. If a child has problems with balance or movement, then it is necessary to seek help from an ENT specialist. He will diagnose or deny the presence of otitis in the baby.

Otitis media is one of the most common childhood diseases. More than half of babies suffer from otitis media in the first year of life. What is this insidious “sore”? Is it possible to warn her? How to properly treat otitis media in a child? And what undesirable consequences of otitis media suffered in infancy can overtake a child in the future?

Ear pain in a child - headache in parents

Otitis media, of course, also happens to adults. However, this disease most often occurs in children aged 6 to 11 months.

There are ruthless statistics to prove this: about 60% of children under the age of one year have suffered from otitis media at least once, and up to 20% of them have suffered from otitis media three or more times.

The essence of the disease boils down to this:

The human hearing organ is divided into three sections - the outer, middle and inner ear. The most important part of the middle and inner ear is the Eustachian (auditory) tube, which is directly connected to the nasal cavity. Why did nature connect the ear and nose together? And then, that the process of receiving information through hearing “starts” from the eardrum, which is pressured by air from the outside (it comes from the external auditory canal) and air from the inside, which passes just through the nasal cavity and further along the Eustachian tube.

When a virus develops in the nose (for example, during a cold or flu), or when a lot of fluid accumulates in the nasal cavity, often some of this mucus ends up in the Eustachian tube and clogs it. As a result, the air loses access to the eardrum from the inside, but continues to exert pressure on it from the outside. This causes severe pain, which is one of the obvious symptoms of the onset of otitis media.

And if in this liquid (essentially snot) accumulated in the Eustachian tube, an inflammatory process begins (that is, in other words, pus is formed), then we are talking about acute purulent otitis media.

Inflammation can also occur on the other side of the eardrum - in the area of the outer ear. But in infants, otitis externa is less common than otitis media.

In addition, otitis media can be of different origins: viral (as a rule, it occurs against the background of acute respiratory viral infections) or bacterial (caused by bacteria such as Haemophilus influenzae, pneumococci or streptococci). It is gratifying that recently throughout the civilized world children have been actively vaccinated against two of the three listed bacteria - vaccines exist for Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococcus.

Why does otitis media occur in a child?

Why are young children especially susceptible to otitis media? For several objective reasons:

They develop mucus in the nasal cavity much more often than adults. After all, in addition to all kinds of colds, babies also actively cry - every day and quite a lot. And with strong crying (especially if the child roars and chokes), liquid almost instantly forms in the nasal cavity.
Breastfed babies often spit up. And these milk residues can also easily get into the Eustachian tube.
The Eustachian tubes in an infant under one year of age are still significantly short and narrow, which means that fluid accumulates in them faster and more readily.
Finally, the trouble is that babies don’t know how to blow their nose “well.” And if at the same time an overly active and assertive mother (grandmother or nanny) with a scarf in her hands is looking after them, this can further aggravate the situation.

When a mother tightly covers the child’s nose (for example, with a handkerchief), and at the same time forces him to blow “as hard as he can” (ostensibly to blow his nose “properly”), then the snot ends up “flying away” not out as it should, but on the contrary - rush along the Eustachian tube to the middle ear. And thus, such an overly zealous mother literally “organizes” the onset of otitis media for the baby.

Signs of otitis in a child

As already mentioned, the most obvious symptom of otitis media is severe pain in the middle ear. Alas, babies cannot talk about it, but they can show it: they worry and cry, rub their ears with their hands, and actively turn their heads.

Other symptoms include:

Refusal to eat;
Nausea and vomiting, imbalance;
Insomnia;
Nasal congestion, redness of the nose;
An elevated temperature is often observed;
One hundred percent sign of otitis is purulent discharge from the ear (yellowish, greenish or transparent);

The most accessible and obvious sign of painful otitis, which every mother can notice, is the following: lightly press your index finger on the tragus of the baby’s ear. If the baby screams, cries, or pulls his hands towards his ear, most likely he is rapidly developing acute otitis media. Go to the doctor immediately!

How to properly treat otitis in children under one year old

One of the most “popular” methods of folk self-treatment for otitis media in infants is to instill drops of walnut oil, camphor oil, etc. into the child’s ear. However, doctors actively criticize any “amateur activity” in this case. Let us explain why. The fact is that if inflammation and stagnation of mucus or fluid occurs in the eustachian tube (that is, in the area of the inner or middle ear), then any drug administered through the ear canal simply will not reach this area - the eardrum will delay it.

However, with otitis in children under one year old, damage to the eardrum often occurs. And in this case, the consequences could be even worse. Because many drops (including oil ones) intended for the treatment of otitis in the outer ear, when entering through the “broken” eardrum into the area of the inner ear, have an extremely negative effect on the auditory nerve (which can cause partial or complete loss in the future child's hearing).

So, if in the description of a pharmaceutical drug for the treatment of otitis you see the inscription “contraindication - perforation of the eardrum,” do not under any circumstances use this remedy without a doctor’s prescription. First, the specialist must find out whether the infant’s eardrum is damaged due to otitis media.

With much greater success (and safety!), you can influence the area of the Eustachian tube not through the ear, but through the nose.

To quickly eliminate swelling in the auditory (Eustachian) tube, the easiest way is to use vasoconstrictor nasal drops. We instill them into the nose, but in the same way as snot, the drug easily gets into the middle ear area, helping to relieve inflammation and fluid stagnation there.

What to do to avoid harming a child with otitis media?

Once again, for the sake of your baby's health and safety, treating ear infections with any drug administered through the ear can be very effective. But only if the eardrum is not damaged, or if this drug can be used for perforation of the eardrum. The difficulty is that only a specialist can assess the situation and prescribe adequate treatment and only after a detailed examination of the child.

Therefore, for civilized and reasonable parents, the most adequate solution if a child is suspected of having otitis media is the following: BEFORE your examination by an otolaryngologist(or at least a pediatrician armed with an otoscope) should not instill any medications into the ear. It is enough to use vasoconstrictors by dropping them into the baby’s nose.

But only AFTER the doctor examines the ear and makes sure that the eardrum is not damaged and functions normally - you can use drugs that are administered through the ear. The doctor will tell you what exactly these means will be.

Self-medication is not the best solution in case of otitis media in a baby! If only because you are in no way able to look into the area of the middle and inner ear and make sure that there are no deformations, plugs or damage there. And that your “medicines” that you bury or put in your baby’s ear will not harm his health even more.

In addition, as a rule, antipyretic and painkillers are also prescribed - but their selection is individual (the baby’s age, weight, general condition, presence of other diseases, etc. are of great importance). The most commonly used are paracetamol and ibuprofen.

For the bacterial form of otitis, antibiotics are prescribed (the course is 10 days and must be followed very strictly to avoid recurrent otitis).

How to incorrectly treat otitis media in a child

The most common mistake made by most parents who discover otitis media in their baby (besides dropping all sorts of oils into the child’s ear) is an irresistible desire to wrap the child’s head with a pair of Vologda scarves in order to “warm up the ear properly.” No need to warm your ear! You can't heat it!

If an inflammatory process has occurred in the area of the middle or inner ear - pus has appeared (which very often happens when mucus from the nose along with a virus or bacteria enters the Eustachian tube), then any heating will serve as a catalyst. As a result, inflammation will intensify. Even worse, you will cause your baby additional pain.

A few words about compresses for a sore ear: modern medicine does not have any evidence that compresses in any way affect the course of otitis media. The maximum that a compress on the baby’s ear will give is an illusory idea among his relatives that they are really actively treating the child. But nothing more.

A child has pus flowing from his ear - what does this mean?

When the area of inflammation or accumulation of fluid during otitis occurs in the middle ear (which happens most often), then with a successful course of the disease, mucus or pus flows through the Eustachian tube into the nasal cavity. And accordingly, it leaves the child’s body through the nose. But if the auditory tube is tightly blocked (clogged by secretions that appear again and again in the nasal area), then the pus formed during inflammation has no choice but to look for another way out. In this case, pressure in the middle ear increases and ultimately the eardrum ruptures.

Through the resulting “hole,” purulent fluid rushes into the ear canal and flows out of the child’s ear. We have already mentioned perforation (damage) of the eardrum, in which in no case should you independently use anti-otitis media that are instilled through the ear canal. However, inflammation must be addressed urgently.

Therefore: as soon as you notice that any fluid is leaking from your baby’s ear (usually yellow or green discharge), you should immediately contact emergency services.

Why is otitis media dangerous in a baby: negative consequences

Hearing impairment. Otitis media of the middle ear is usually accompanied by a slight deterioration in hearing, however, when the inflammation subsides, hearing is restored to its previous level after, as a rule, 1-3 months. Improper treatment of ear infections can cause longer-term hearing problems. In addition, if a child has an eardrum or other part of the middle ear injured as a result of inflammation, hearing loss can almost certainly be expected.

Advanced otitis media, which causes damage to the ear bones or the auditory nerve, can lead to complete and irreversible deafness.

Further spread of infection. Advanced otitis media in an infant or otitis media that is not treated correctly can spread to nearby tissues and cause illness. One of these diseases is mastoiditis - inflammation of the cellular structures of the mastoid process of the temporal bone, which is located immediately behind the auricle. Advanced otitis media can even cause damage to the bones of the skull. In some cases, middle ear infections spread to the tissues of the skull and sometimes to the tissues of the brain.

Why does my child get otitis media regularly, but my neighbor Petka has never been sick?

You should not reproach yourself for improper care and supervision of your baby if he “caught” otitis every now and then. Alas, the development of this disease does not depend in any way on how tightly you wrap your child in sheepskin hats or down scarves when getting ready for a walk.

First of all, the “constancy” of otitis is due to the individual anatomical structure of the Eustachian tubes - in some they are located at a rather steep angle, and in this case it is very problematic for snot or other liquid to accumulate in them. For others, on the contrary, these auditory tubes are straight, narrow, with dense walls; They seem to be specially created so that liquid is retained and accumulated in them.

For example, Koreans, Japanese or Vietnamese, from the point of view of the potential likelihood of otitis, are “tailored” in the best way - due to their pronounced anatomical features, representatives of these peoples almost never suffer from otitis. And the worst situation is for the North American Indians, Chukchi and Eskimos - these peoples suffer from ear inflammation almost constantly and without exception.

In addition, the cause of regular otitis may be “active” adenoids. They are located in close proximity to the place where the Eustachian tube “flows” into the nasal cavity. The fact is that with even minor inflammation in the middle ear area, in many people the adenoids also swell. And, of course, they literally “block” the Eustachian tube, making it difficult for fluid and mucus to flow out. In these cases, as a rule, the adenoids are safely disposed of.

Nowadays, this is a simple and painless procedure (scientifically it is called adenotomy), at the end of which the baby is officially allowed to eat ice cream.

Why does a child get a puncture?

The structure of the ear is different for all people, including the “strength” of the eardrum. In most children, it ruptures on its own during acute otitis media. By the way, do not be alarmed ahead of time - the eardrum is then successfully scarred and this damage does not affect hearing acuity.

But in some children, on the contrary, it is too persistent. And in order to “rescue” purulent accumulations from the middle ear area and begin to eliminate inflammation, doctors have to make an “artificial” puncture in the eardrum. If the puncture is not done, the consequences can be terrible, including purulent meningitis. It’s enough just that with increasing inflammation in the middle ear, the hellish pain increases. And if the eardrum does not rupture, the pressure in the middle and inner ear becomes unbearable.

Otitis in an infant: a reminder for the refrigerator

So, let us repeat in a nutshell the most correct scenario of your actions in case you suspect your baby has otitis media:

We instill a vasoconstrictor into the nose (you can only use drops, not a spray!);
We urgently go for an examination to an otolaryngologist;
If necessary, we give the baby antipyretic and painkillers (for example, paracetamol and ibuprofen as an option);
And before visiting an otolaryngologist, we do nothing else! The doctor will give further actions and recommendations after a thorough examination.

You have probably noticed that there can be dozens of scenarios for the development of otitis media in an infant. And at each stage of this or that “plot” you can take both beneficial actions and, on the contrary, aggravate the disease. What is the point of “playing roulette”? At the first suspicion of otitis in a baby, rush to a specialist. And throughout the illness, allow an experienced medical eye to objectively assess the situation and the chances of recovery. Otherwise, the consequences of otitis media can be very sad.

Often, due to a cold with complications, an infant may develop an infection that affects the middle ear - otitis media. One of the hallmark signs of otitis media is severe pain inside the ear. Statistics say that more than 50% of children aged six months to one year have encountered this disease, and more than 20% have suffered it again. Therefore, parents are advised to familiarize themselves with the symptoms, which will help to diagnose the disease in a timely manner and prevent serious complications.

Depending on the anatomical features, we can safely say that a child’s ear is much more vulnerable to infection than an adult’s ear. Therefore, in order to understand the full clinical picture, you need to understand the anatomy of the organ. Inside the ear there are not only auditory ossicles and membranes, but also a connecting canal, which is defined as the Eustachian tube. The difference between a child’s auditory tube is that it is much shorter, but at the same time wider than that of a mature person. Based on this physiological feature, we can conclude that any infection from the nasopharynx penetrates much faster into the nasal area. If this tube is filled with mucus or pus, then there is a high probability of developing an inflammatory process and a change in pressure in the ear cavity.

While the child is not able to stand up on his own, most of the time he is in a supine position, so otitis is caused not only by a penetrating pathogenic infection, but also by banal breast milk that gets into the nasopharynx during lactation.

Then, with each year of life, the occurrence of the inflammatory process will provoke more and more new pathologies. By the age of two, parents should think about possible adenoids, since by the age of three to five they will grow and begin to become inflamed.

Reasons that provoke otitis media

excessive accumulation of fluid in the ear cavity due to constant crying;
entry of breast milk from the nasopharynx directly into the Eustachian tube, this can occur due to regurgitation;
rapid accumulation of pus and fluid to the extent of physiological characteristics;
frequent drawing of mucus into the nose due to the inability to blow the nose;
weakened immune system;
anomaly of the bronchopulmonary system, congenital;
hereditary factor;
presence of adenoids after two years;
allergic manifestations;
complications after a cold.

It is important! One of the features of the disease is the manifestation of symptoms at night. This is explained by the fact that the baby is in motion throughout the day, so natural drainage of the auditory tubes occurs. When the baby falls asleep, the Eustachian tubes become clogged, unable to clear themselves.

When a child is already at a conscious age and can explain or talk about his problem, then diagnosing pathology is much easier than when the baby is an infant. In this case, parents should be very careful. Soreness most often occurs in the evening, therefore, if a child behaves anxiously, namely, cries during feeding, does not want to take the breast, then most likely he is bothered by pain. Sucking movements can only increase the sensation of pain, so the baby will refuse to take milk.

It is necessary to pay attention if the baby has a high body temperature, which rises higher in the evening. The fact that a baby is in pain can be understood by crying, which does not stop; The fact that a child has pain in the ear is indicated by frequent turning of the head.

On the part of the parents, special actions must be performed, which will confirm the pathological process in the auricle. To do this you need to press a little on the tragus. If anyone doesn’t know what this part is, it is the cartilage located directly in front of the auricle. If after these actions the child begins to try to dodge or cry intensely, then you need to urgently call a doctor, because the baby is worried about pain in the ear.

You need to pay attention to these symptoms:

Viscous uncharacteristic discharge is observed from the nose.
In addition to tearfulness from the eyes, discharge is added.
The child becomes very capricious.
Constantly spins, refusing to lie still.
Cries non-stop.
Discharge from the ear begins, which is characterized by a mucous fluid, yellowish or greenish in color.
The body temperature rises.
The child refuses to take the breast.
Insomnia begins to bother me.
Swelling is observed in the area of the parotid inlet.

Attention! Parents should be on guard, since every disease can be complicated by consequences, so timely assistance will help maintain the baby’s health.

How is otitis media determined in an infant?

Undoubtedly, the baby cannot yet say what is worrying him, so parents can only guess on an intuitive level and pay attention to external signs. Parents can find out whether their baby’s ear pain is bothersome or not in several ways:

by pressing on the ear tragus;
the baby constantly turns around and refuses to take the breast;
if you put the child down, intense crying begins, this is explained by the fact that in a horizontal position the pain can only intensify and acquire a shooting character.

How is otitis media diagnosed?

It takes only seven hours for an infant to develop this form of the disease. If parents cannot independently confirm otitis media in a child according to the above symptoms, then an urgent consultation with an otolaryngologist is necessary. In this case, the doctor conducts a detailed examination and prescribes the necessary therapy.

Attention! In no case should parents independently select treatment for otitis media in their baby. You must always remember that otitis media can only be treated with the help of a doctor. Otherwise, untimely and incorrectly provided medical care can lead to a significant decrease in the ability to hear.

After an ambulance is called, the child can be given an antipyretic drug, for example, Paracetamol. This way, you can relieve your baby of pain and reduce high fever.

A course of treatment

Immediately after otitis media is diagnosed, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately. There is no point in experimenting on the baby’s health, so traditional medicine options and advice are excluded. Only a qualified physician should prescribe therapy for an infant.

A drug	Why is it prescribed for a baby?
Antibiotics	This is a group of drugs that are prescribed exclusively by a doctor based on tests. The duration of taking the drug is one week. Depending on the weight, the doctor calculates the dosage. Among the most popular and less harmful are: 1. Ceftriaxone. 2. Amoxiclav. If necessary, the specialist will inject the drug directly into the ear cavity.
Ear drops	For otitis media, the use of ear drops is one of the important aspects of therapy. It is recommended to determine the optimal dose of four drops in each ear. Otinum is considered an excellent remedy. It must first be heated in a steam bath and only after that should the instillation begin.
Vasoconstrictor drops	These drops are used before bed for one week. It is used to clear the patency of the Eustachian tube. In addition, the discomfort caused by a runny nose is eliminated. Among all drugs, it is best to use children's Nazivin
Antihistamines	Intoxication of the entire body cannot be ruled out, so antihistamines are urgently needed. Suprastin is most often used
Antipyretic drugs	To reduce a high temperature, the use of an antipyretic agent is required. It is very important to remember that all drugs that contain Analgin or Aspirin in significant doses are contraindicated for young children. On the contrary, it is recommended to use Nurofen

It is important! Despite these diseases, medications should be taken under the watchful supervision of a specialist.

Treatment in a hospital setting occurs only in case of complications. It is possible that the patient will need paracentesis - this is a manipulation that removes pus from the ear cavity and passages.

Video - Otitis

Preventive actions

In the first place at the stages of prevention is careful care of the baby. From time to time, your baby will need to clean out any accumulated pus from the ear with an ear stick.

Attention! During manipulations to clean the ear canals, you should not insert the ear stick too deeply.

It is recommended to carry the baby in your arms more often in a more vertical position, then the crying subsides and the pain does not bother the child so much. If the baby is sick with colds, then it is necessary not to delay the treatment of otitis media. Below are less important, but at the same time necessary notes:

make sure that no water gets into the ear canal during water procedures;
babies, regardless of the time of year, must wear hats;
the temperature regime must be maintained (not less than and not more than 20 degrees);
apply light exercise therapy to the child.

A mature three-year-old child can independently show what hurts. A baby is a completely different matter. He is still very young and cannot talk about the reason for his anxiety.

As a rule, children's ears begin to hurt in the evening, and the discomfort occurs suddenly. If the baby is hungry, but refuses the breast, or begins to suckle, but suddenly begins to cry loudly and turn away, it is worth suspecting the development of otitis media. Such reactions may indicate sharp pain in the ears that appears during sucking movements.

Sometimes at night the baby develops a high temperature (more than 38 C). Something is bothering him, he turns his head and cries all the time. It is necessary to check whether his ears hurt. For this purpose, you should carefully press on the tragus cartilage located in front of the concha of the ear. If a child feels sharp pain, he will try to avoid the touch and cry.

It is strongly not recommended to treat otitis media in infants on your own. Only a doctor can prescribe the correct therapy.

Causes of otitis media in infants

In most cases, middle ear infections are considered a consequence of previous colds, as a complication. Children's anatomy is such that it is in infancy that it is easiest to get otitis media.

The middle part of the ear contains the auditory ossicles and the eardrum. There is also an auditory tube (Eustachian tube) connecting the ear and nasopharynx. This part of the baby's ear is wider and shorter than that of an adult. Therefore, it is easier for infections from the nasopharynx to get into the middle ear. If the tube is completely clogged with mucus, the pressure in the ear cavity changes and inflammation develops.

During the first year of life, the child spends a lot of time in a horizontal position, so breast milk or formula can enter his middle ear from the nasopharynx.

The baby grows, and the mechanism of development of otitis changes. At the age of 1 – 2 years, the growth of adenoids begins. They are fully grown by the time the child is 3 to 5 years old. When infected, the adenoids can become inflamed, enlarge, and in some cases they can block the Eustachian tube.

In addition, otitis media can be caused by: pathology of the bronchopulmonary system, artificial feeding, predisposition to allergic reactions, and a deficiency of natural immunity.

Otitis in infants treatment

There are two forms of otitis: purulent and catarrhal inflammation. With the purulent form, the child’s ear leaks, but with catarrh, no discharge occurs. The general symptoms of the disease are similar to those of a cold: rapid mouth breathing, increased body temperature.

Most often, the appearance of these symptoms indicates inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. Infection from the nasopharynx easily spreads to the ear, especially in infants. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of nasal congestion as soon as possible. In the first days, interferon drugs can be used to prevent infection. At this time, swimming and walking should be avoided.

Every morning the child needs to wash his face. This is best done with a towel lightly dampened in water at room temperature. The neck, forehead, and area behind the ears require special attention. Then you need to clean your nose with a cotton swab dipped in warm water or breast milk. Next, you can drip warm medicine into your nose. Before going to bed, for preventive purposes, it is necessary to carry the child in an upright position for some time. This will prevent mucus from flowing from your nose into your ear.

It is not advisable to delay treatment; five days is enough; during this period, harmful drugs will not have time to harm the body. It has been proven that breastfeeding has a beneficial effect on health in this disease. You cannot prescribe medications yourself; all medications should be taken only after consulting a doctor. It is important to monitor your baby’s reaction to each remedy. If otitis media is purulent, a hole appears in the eardrum for pus to flow out. In this case, you cannot use an alcohol solution, this remedy will slow down healing and cause pain, and otitis media, if not treated correctly, has a chance of becoming chronic.

Most often, infants under the age of six months suffer from purulent otitis media. It is necessary to abandon cotton swabs in the ears, all pus must leave the body on its own, its accumulation is dangerous.

If we are talking about catarrhal otitis, you can use any ear drops. They must be preheated. The frequency of administration does not exceed 4 times a day. If there are no drops, boric alcohol or even vodka will do. Then the ear hole should be closed with cotton wool. Various compresses are effective.

A warming dry compress is very simple to use. The ear is covered entirely with a compress, and any tight-fitting headdress or scarf is put on top.

A warming wet compress is used at night or for 2 to 3 hours. At a body temperature not exceeding 37.5C, a semi-alcohol compress is allowed. You should be careful not to burn the delicate baby skin, so you should not apply the compress directly to the ear. Take a thick linen cloth and make a cut in it according to the size of the ear. A compress soaked in warm medicinal liquid is placed around its perimeter. The fabric should completely cover the area around the ear. A piece of wax paper is placed on the fabric, which also has a cut. Then a thick headdress is put on. You can apply such a compress even after the pain has been eliminated.

Before instilling drops, the ear is thoroughly cleaned of secretions. The liquid is heated to body temperature to reduce pain. This is easy to do using a water bath. When instilling, the baby should lie on his side, on the side opposite to the sore ear. With one hand, carefully pull the auricle up and back, while the ear canal is straightened. You can drip. Then the ear canal is closed with a cotton swab. To obtain the desired effect, the child must lie in this position for several minutes. The procedure is then repeated for the other ear.

There is another effective method for relieving pain. The Blue Lamp works wonders if used correctly. The distance from the lamp to the ear depends on the power of the device. The duration of one procedure is 5 – 7 minutes. For preventive purposes, the child’s ears are warmed with a heating pad. You need to place the baby on the heating pad alternately with both ears for 10 - 12 minutes.

During the course of a disease such as otitis media, it is necessary to instill vasoconstrictor children's drops into the child's nose; this must be done even in the absence of a runny nose. Otherwise, the risk of infection in the second ear increases. The best option is drugs in the form of a spray with a gentle stream. They affect exclusively the nasal mucosa and are evenly distributed throughout the nasal cavity. While the drops enter the stomach through the mouth. It is recommended to inject the aerosol once, after a few minutes the nasal passages are cleaned as much as possible, the procedure is repeated.

The ear is perfectly cleared of pus when treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide. The use of matches and any sharp objects is unacceptable; they can easily damage the delicate skin of the ear canal and the eardrum. It is best to stick to tight cotton wool flagella. They are moistened in liquid and carefully inserted into the ear canal using a screwing motion. There should be no pus in the ear after the procedure.

If only one of the ears is affected, the child should sleep on his side, on the side of the diseased organ, to successfully remove pus from the ear. Usually, a horizontal position increases pain; you can raise the pillow at an angle of 30 - 45 degrees. Breast milk is dripped into the nose for prevention. Once a week, be sure to clean your ears with a cotton swab.

Any otitis is an urgent reason to seek medical help. An incompletely cured disease can provoke a chronic form. Antibiotics are not able to fight otitis media alone; complex therapy is necessary. Hardening, the correct diet and method of nutrition, and an active lifestyle are important.

Folk remedies for infants

Often with chronic otitis, allergic reactions to the medications used occur. In this case, folk remedies, proven over centuries, are more relevant than ever. The use of medicinal herbs in reasonable doses is approved by a large number of pediatricians.

To soothe ear pain, you need to drip a tincture made from peppermint or lemon balm leaves into them. Frequency of administration: 3 times a day. The liquid must be warm.

A good anti-inflammatory and analgesic remedy is tincture of sweet clover or calendula flowers. Frequency of administration: at least 4 times a day.

After the pain is eliminated, you can begin warming up. For this purpose, warm rosehip or lavender oil is injected into the ear.

The eardrum will recover faster if you use a tincture of hazelnut or calendula pericarp.

In case of inflammation of the external auditory canal, tincture of barberry or eucalyptus leaves should be instilled into the sore ear.

Prevention

During feeding, the baby should be in an almost vertical position.

You can bathe your child in a rubber cap. Ears should not be filled with water. If liquid has leaked into the ear, you should try to clean it thoroughly.

With the help of a doctor, you should develop a hardening program within reasonable limits. Such procedures will improve health and increase resistance to disease.

Uncontrolled use of antibiotics is prohibited. All treatment should be supervised by a doctor.

If the baby is old enough, you need to teach him the correct technique of blowing his nose: one nostril should be closed, the mouth should be slightly open. The baby should not suck in mucus.

Ears can be cleaned once a week. It is believed that a healthy ear can clean itself. A small amount of sulfur has a bactericidal effect.

There is no need to clean your ears often if they hurt. Additional irritation will only make the situation worse.

Otitis in an infant, the symptoms and treatment of which will be discussed in this article, is not a rare occurrence in pediatric ENT practice. A similar term in medicine is usually used to designate a pathological process of an inflammatory nature, provoked by infectious agents and usually localized in.

How does otitis media manifest in infants?

The described illness in itself is extremely unpleasant, primarily due to the characteristic ear pain. Plus, the seriousness of this disease is added by the possibility of developing serious complications, the consequences of which can be very, very different, including sad ones. This fact suggests that every parent should know how otitis media manifests itself in a baby, so that they can promptly notice the onset of this disease and seek help from a specialist.

However, after visiting a doctor and prescribing treatment, you should not relax, even in cases where the recommended therapy is strictly followed.

The fact is that there are cases when otitis media in an infant is not completely cured. And if the inflammation is not treated, this can lead to two possible situations: the baby’s ear will either completely recover on its own, which is very good, but unlikely, or the pathological process will flare up with renewed vigor due to the infected fluid remaining in the middle ear.

In this case, the baby may feel well for weeks, but the infection, which is not fully treated, will remain in the hearing organ and slowly, slowly develop. Infected liquid under such conditions becomes sticky, which is very unfavorable, because its removal becomes possible only surgically. This condition is called adhesive otitis media.

How to identify acute otitis media and externa in an infant

The causes of otitis media in infants have their own distinctive characteristics, which explain the fact that children are more susceptible to this disease compared to the adult population.

First of all, these features include more frequent formation of mucus in the nasal cavity than in adults. This is explained by the fact that in addition to all sorts of colds, babies cry very actively, and they do it every day and very strongly.

Another feature is that babies are prone to frequent regurgitation, as a result of which the remaining milk easily enters the Eustachian tube, causing otitis media in the infant.

The third feature is the anatomy of the auditory tube itself: in children under the age of 1 year, they are narrow and short, which facilitates the accumulation of fluid in them.

And finally, the trouble is that babies do not know how to blow their nose at all, much less are they trained to do it “well.” The situation worsens even more if the baby is looked after by an overly assertive and active adult (be it a mother, grandmother or nanny) with a scarf in his hands. Acute otitis in an infant develops when there is an accumulation of snot in the middle ear, which gets there if a caring parent forces the baby to blow with all his might, supposedly in order to blow his nose, without realizing that the contents of the nose “fly away” not out, but rush through the Eustachian tubes into the middle ear cavity. Unfortunately, such improper nose blowing is often instilled in children by their mothers and fathers.

Otitis externa in infants can also occur due to certain reasons that are not typical for older children. There is an opinion that babies “put everything in their mouths,” but we can say with confidence that they also very actively put everything they come across into their ears. Naturally, this can cause injury to the organ.

How to check for otitis in a baby: diagnosis of the disease

In order to check whether a baby has otitis or not, you need to know exactly how this disease manifests itself. Moreover, in relation to the specified age period.

The signs of otitis in an infant are not much different from the manifestations of this disease in older children. The main feature is that the baby cannot say anything, cannot complain about his condition, or point to the place where it hurts. This fact makes diagnosing the disease in question in this age period very difficult, especially in the early stages of the development of the disease. In such cases, what helps first of all is intuition and observation, which parents should never lose.

How to recognize otitis media in a baby? To answer this question, you need to understand that a baby’s ears, as a rule, begin to hurt suddenly and in most cases in the evening. Therefore, one of the first signs will be the child’s difficulty or even refusal to feed in the evening: a clearly hungry baby, while sucking, suddenly begins to show anxiety, turn his head, cry and eventually abandons the breast. This suggests that sucking movements aggravate the child’s pain and most likely this is pain in the ears.

In addition to this behavior, the symptoms of otitis in an infant can be expressed in a rise in temperature. Usually the fever stays at 38 °C, but sometimes it can reach 40 °C. At the same time, the baby cries inconsolably and turns his head.

How to understand that a baby has otitis media: signs of the disease

The appearance of one or two of the signs listed above should definitely alert the mother, and, as a rule, this in itself becomes a reason to call a doctor.

However, there is one more little trick that allows you to answer the question of how to understand that a baby has otitis media. You need to lightly press on the cartilage located in front of the auricle, which is called the tragus. If a baby’s ears hurt, then he, feeling the pain intensifying, will cry and try to dodge the hands. This fact will only confirm the need to contact a specialist who knows everything about otitis media in infants: signs, symptoms, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

In addition to all of the above, manifestations of the described disease in children include nasal congestion and redness, as well as vomiting and insomnia.

How to treat otitis media in a baby

If otitis media is diagnosed in an infant, treatment should be carried out exclusively under medical supervision. The parents’ task in this case is to strictly adhere to the dosage of prescribed medications and monitor how the child reacts to them.

Self-medication of the described disease, especially when it develops in newborns or children in the first year of life, poses a serious health hazard. But a qualified specialist is well aware of how to treat otitis media in an infant without any harmful consequences.

As a rule, in the treatment of this disease, special drops and anti-inflammatory drugs are used, and in severe cases, antibacterial agents. Based on the infectious nature of the disease, which is often purulent in nature, the use of antibiotics often becomes inevitable. At the same time, to combat infantile otitis media, medications are prescribed in tablets, syrups or suspensions, and in severe cases, injections of antimicrobial medications are given.

Purulent otitis in an infant, which is fraught with penetration of pus into the orbit and cranial cavity, can be perfectly cured by 5-7 days of antibiotic therapy, during which one should not forget about the regular removal of pus from the ear, for which a cotton swab is used.

Usually the baby feels better already on the 2-3rd day of treatment. This needs to be monitored, and if this does not happen, then you should urgently consult a doctor, especially in situations where the child gets worse.

Acute otitis media in infants responds well to treatment with nasal vasoconstrictors, which are used to restore normal nasal breathing. Such substances should be used for the described disease even in the absence of. The point of this is to prevent infection of the second ear. In this case, it is best to use sprays with a gentle stream, evenly distributing the medicine throughout the nasal cavity. Drops can get into the baby's mouth and stomach.

Prevention of otitis media and externa in infants

Perhaps even more important knowledge, in addition to how to identify otitis in an infant, what are its causes and how to cure this disease, is knowledge of how to prevent the development of this disease. From time immemorial it has been known that it is much easier to prevent any disease than to later deal with its manifestations and complications.

Prevention of otitis media in infants primarily involves proper hygiene of the ears. When cleaning babies' ears, you don't need to reach further than the outside of the ear canal. To do this, it is recommended to use special ear sticks that have a limiter. You should also treat healthy ears with alcohol or use ear drops in them.

After completing the feeding process, you need to carry the baby in an upright position for some time. This measure prevents milk residues from the nasopharynx from entering the ear.

Knowing that otitis media in infants often develops after a child develops a runny nose, prevention of this disease should begin in advance. Correct and timely treatment of nasal congestion will prevent inflammatory pathology in the ear area.

To prevent mucus from accumulating and blocking the ear canal, it is a good idea to give the baby more water: this makes it easier for the mucus to come out, which helps avoid blockage of the eustachian tube. In addition, it is very important to maintain a certain temperature regime in the children's room: 18-20 °C is considered optimal.

You also need to be careful when walking: in the cold season, it is advisable to use a warm hat, and in warm weather, a light one that covers your ears.

If the baby’s ears still hurt, then it is necessary to contact a pediatric ENT specialist, who will diagnose otitis media in the baby and prescribe appropriate treatment.

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