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Treating an Ear Infection:
If you suspect your child has an ear infection, you should take the child to
the doctor at once. If a middle-ear infection is treated promptly,
it is not serious. If not treated right away, your child might
suffer hearing loss and, as a result, a delay in learning and speech
development. Once your child has seen the doctor, however, there are
some things you can do to help make your little one more
comfortable.
Follow through on the doctor's instructions. Your job doesn't end
with a visit to the doctor. You will need to be sure that your child
receives any medication prescribed by the doctor. Be sure, too, that
you understand and follow the directions for administering the
medicine (call your doctor or pharmacist with any questions). If an
antibiotic has been prescribed, it's especially important that your
child take the medication for the full time prescribed. It's
tempting once your little one feels better to stop forcing that
awful tasting medicine on them but keep with it. They need to take
the entire amount prescribed in order for it to be fully effective.
Keep your child's chin up. If your child is lying down, prop his or
her head up on pillows. Elevating the head will help keep the tubes
draining into the back of the throat. This often helps to relive the
pressure they feel in their ears when laying down.
Try mild heat. Applying a heating pad set on warm ** not hot **
to the affected ear may make your child more comfortable.
Give acetaminophen. Try giving your child acetaminophen to help
relieve pain and fever.
Because middle-ear infections are so common among children and
babies, you may want to take quick action if you notice your child
pulling on their ears or showing signs of an ear infection. A cranky
child in the afternoon with a possible ear infection can quickly
turn into a fever and inconsolable screaming from pain in the middle
of the night. It's best to call the doctor at the first signs
instead of having to rush out in the middle of the night to the
emergency room.
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