Treating Your Child's Ear Infection

Your little one is fussing, crying, and pulling at her ear. You check for a fever, and yes, she is running a mild one. Are these symptoms of an ear infection? At Downers Grove Pediatrics in Downers Grove and Bolingbrook, IL, your team of pediatricians and their professional staff see many of these common childhood illnesses. Here are details on how they happen and how to treat them.

Otitis media

That's the medical term for a middle ear infection. Typically occurring after a child has the flu or a cold, otitis media symptoms come from fluid build-up between the eustachian tube and the eardrum. Pain comes from the eardrum bulging because the accumulated fluid has no outlet. Also, this infection causes dizziness, problems with hearing, fever, and malaise.

Experts at Harvard Health state that most ear infections--up to 80 percent--resolve on their own without treatment from your Downers Grove and Bolingbrook pediatrician. Simple over-the-counter pediatric ibuprofen or acetaminophen controls pain and fever, and a warm compress to the ear provides much needed comfort.

When to see the pediatrician

If, however, your child's symptoms worsen or do not resolve within three days, call Downers Grove Pediatrics for a sick visit appointment. Your pediatrician will examine your child's ear with a lighted otoscope to visualize the eardrum. He or she also may do a painless tympanogram to note the movement (or lack thereof) of the eardrum.

Based on the findings, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics such as Keflex, Amoxycillin, or Augmentin. Repeated ear infections may require a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist who may recommend ear tube placement to keep the eardrum open and draining fluid.

Healthy ears

Some children seem more prone to otitis media than others. However, to decrease your youngster's chances of developing an ear infection, breastfeed your baby for at least a year to confer powerful passive immunity. Also, avoid cigarette smoke as it seems to stop the production of beneficial mucous and harms the eustachian tube as well.

Contact us

We always welcome questions about your child's health. If you suspect an unresolved ear infection, call the office right away for advice or for a same day appointment as needed. For the Bolingbrook office, phone (630) 759-9230, or for the Downers Grove location, call (630) 852-4551.