8 signs of your child's ear infection

Otitis is a common disease among infants and young children. According to doctors ’estimates, 80% of infants and infants develop it at least once until the age of three, and half of these children may develop it three or more times. Causes, signs, and treatment inform you about it in the following lines.

The causes of common otitis in young children:
Otitis media is caused by a blockage of the Eustachian tube (auditory canal) and fluid accumulation in the middle ear, leading to a bacterial or viral infection. This blockage usually occurs in the aftermath of a common cold or congestion, as well as in allergic conditions.

The matter is more common among young people due to the shortening of the Eustachian canal, because it is still in the stage of growth and development, which helps to increase the possibility of inflammation, in addition to their weak immunity compared to adults.

Signs that your child has an ear infection?

 Babies and toddlers usually cannot tell us what hurts them, so you need to know the signs of an ear infection so that you can distinguish it if it appears alone on your child, including:

1. High temperature.
2. Ear pulling due to severe pain.
3.   Loss of appetite and unwillingness to breastfeed or eat, because swallowing puts pressure on the Eustachian tube, which increases pain.
4. Crying and feeling restless in the lying down position, because it is one of the stresses on Eustachian tubes as well.
5. Difficulty falling asleep.
6.  Vomiting and diarrhea.
7.   Having temporary hearing difficulties, as if calling him, do not respond.
8. The appearance of discharge or pus, which is an indication of a hole in the eardrum caused by fluid pressure on it.

Treatment of otitis in children:

Although antibiotics are common to treat ear infections, recent research has confirmed that antibiotics should not be the first choice. According to doctors, 80% of cases of otitis heal on their own. Some cases of otitis are viral, which means that they do not respond to antibiotics. On the other hand, the child’s taking of antibiotics frequently weakens his immunity, which affects her ability to fight bacteria, so the doctor may prefer to wait and monitor the development of the condition.

Why does the doctor prescribe antibiotics for my child?

If the child is less than two years old, the doctor may prefer to give him an antibiotic, because the young man of this age is unable to express if his condition worsens, and infants under two years of age are more vulnerable to complications such as hearing loss.
In the case of children younger than two years old, and if the symptoms are not severe, the doctor may suggest observing it for two to three days, and if his condition does not improve during that period, the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic, analgesic, and an antipyretic such as paracetamol.

How to protect your child from ear infection?

•  Protect it as much as possible from catching a cold and influenza.
• Do not smoke near it.
• Not feeding him while he is lying down or sleeping, and making sure it is tilted.
• Care to breastfeed, for the role of breast milk big in raising the efficiency of its immune system.

Although otitis is common among young children, it is one of the cases that should be dealt with very careful due to the seriousness of its complications if not treated well, it may cause permanent hearing loss or a permanent hole in the eardrum. God forbid, be sure to monitor your child and if it appears Any of the signs mentioned do not hesitate to see a doctor immediately.