Earache in babies: what to do if your baby has otitis
Earache in children can have various causes, the most common of which is acute otitis media. Earache, with more or less severe pain, may be due to inflammation of the external auditory canal or the eardrum membrane. This inflammation can be generated by another inflammation already present in the nose or throat, transmitted to the ear via the Eustachian tube.
Earache in children, in the most common case of otitis, is of viral origin and can generate a bacterial infection with other symptoms such as mucus or pus production in the ear and pressure on the eardrum, which generates a lot of pain. it may be accompanied by fever, malaise, decreased hearing. In younger children, acute otitis media usually presents with inconsolable crying.
Let's take a closer look at what are the possible causes of earache in children, what to do and what not to do if your child suffers from it and with what remedies (natural and otherwise) to try to alleviate his pain.
What can be the causes of earache in children?
Earache in children can have various causes. As we said, the most common cases are those of acute otitis media (affecting the middle ear) and otitis externa (affecting the outer ear): these are in both cases of an "inflammation.But earache in a child can also be due to a simple irritation of the external ear canal or eardrum membrane, as well as the presence of lesions.
The pediatrician will identify the cause of your child's earache, also based on the presence or absence of other symptoms such as cold, flu, fever, hearing loss, leaking of fluid from the ear canal, dizziness.
Earache may be due, in addition to a form of otitis, to the presence of ear wax plugs in the ear canal, foreign bodies or an accumulation of mucus (which is not uncommon in case of flu). ear canal generates pressure on the eardrum and the pain is caused by this.
How to tell if your baby has an earache?
In younger children (and even more so in newborns) it is not easy to identify the presence of otitis or a simple earache. Pay particular attention if your child has some specific alarm bells, first of all the tendency to touching the ear and a long and inconsolable cry, especially during the night.
A small child suffering from earache could also show loss of appetite, diarrhea, fever, irritability, vomiting. In the presence of these symptoms it will always be good to take the child to the pediatrician in order to arrive at a correct diagnosis.
What to do if your baby has an earache?
The best thing to do if your child is suffering from earache is to start painkilling therapy right away. If symptoms persist after two days, take him to the pediatrician right away. In most cases the earache will go away. by himself. Health guidelines advise against the use of ear drops prior to physician evaluation, as well as mucolytic syrups or nasal decongestants or antihistamines.
The most suitable drugs in case of pain are paracetamol and ibuprofen. Paracetamol should be administered to children in a dosage of 10-15 mg / kg of child's weight per dose, and can be taken again after 4-6 hours , preferably by oral administration The maximum daily doses of 80 mg / kg should never be exceeded.
Ibuprofen, on the other hand, can only be given to children weighing more than 6 kg and older than 3 months. The maximum daily dose is 20-30 mg / kg of weight and should be divided into 3 times a day. Remember, of course, that the pediatrician must be the one to suggest the best anti-inflammatory therapy for your child: so avoid doing it yourself!
When is it good to take the child with an earache to the emergency room?
In most cases, it is not necessary to take your baby to the emergency room for an earache. A call to your pediatrician will be more than enough! If the pediatrician, however, is not available, you will need to take your baby to the hospital. first aid only if you are less than one year old and present with inconsolable crying; if anti-inflammatory therapy does not relieve pain after 48 hours; if, in addition to ear pain, redness, swelling behind the pinna or other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea or high fever are also present.
Natural remedies for earache in children
Finally, there are some natural remedies (the famous "grandmother's remedies") that can relieve your child's pain and therefore constitute a valid aid to anti-inflammatory therapy. Warm compresses or a hot cloth applied to the inflamed ear will have a sure soothing effect.
Garlic and onion would also be useful, natural anti-inflammatories: just chop them finely and put them in a handkerchief to place on the ear. Lavender essential oil would also have a soothing effect: just pour a few drops with a few drops of olive oil on one cotton ball to be placed at the entrance of the ear, without pushing at the bottom. The same would be true for ginger juice and licorice extract, natural and effective pain relievers.
For more information on earache in children, you can consult this pdf of the Department of Health of the Liguria Region.
