Causes And Remedies For Ear Infection In Kids

The human body is blessed with five sense organs that form the basis of our very existence. They are the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and touch. In such a situation, it makes absolute sense on our part to take care of each of them. The main reason for this is the fact that these sense organs cannot be replaced once damaged.

In fact, it will be fair to say that there is a natural response at our end that makes us take care of our vital organs. This is something that comes naturally to us and we behave that way without being conscious about the same.

However, as infants or children, our little ones do not have this sensibility to be able to do so. In such a situation, it becomes the duty of parents to ensure that the child's vital organs are in proper shape and free from all types of infections.

To be able to do that, it is important for them to know the cause and the possible remedies of the same. The symptoms are usually internal and, in most of the cases, the parents will not be able to notice any significant external changes.

In some rare cases, the area near the ears may appear swollen or reddish. This article aims to tell parents all these details about ear infection, so that parents are better informed and can take a better care of their little ones.

· Causes of ear infection in kids

Causes Of Ear Infection In Kids

Swollen Adenoids

Adenoids are the tissues near your tonsils. The main function of this is to trap bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms and prevent the same from entering the body.

However, in the course of their normal functioning, sometimes it so happens that they get swollen as a result of some sort of an infection of injury. While this is not something that you should be worried about, the fact is that this condition may actually trigger ear infections. This is especially true in case of children in the age group of 2 to 5 years.

Change In Air Pressure

A change in air pressure is something that normal adults will be able to handle effortlessly. However, the same cannot be said in case of infants and young children. That is why, you will find themselves to be victims of ear infections when they travel by road to or from a hill station or during the takeoff and landing of flights. In extreme cases, the abrupt change in air pressure may also cause long-term infections in a child.

Allergies

Younger children are generally prone to a number of allergies. Some of them produce excess mucus which is another factor that causes an ear infection. This is because the excess mucus blocks the ear glands. Conditions like sinus infections also trigger ear infections in kids. Thus, if you find your little one to be a victim of the same, you must take appropriate precautions to ensure that the same does not manifest itself in the form of an ear infection.

Causes of ear infection in kids

Let Time Heal It

As parents, we often panic when anything happens to our kids. The same holds true for ear infections as well. However, it is important for us to realize that in most cases, ear infection in kids is not very dangerous. Thus, it is advisable that you wait for about 24 hours to see if the infection subsides on its own. In most of the cases, it will. If it does not, only then should you consult a pediatrician. Another trick here that you must keep in mind is that you should always consult a pediatrician first in matters pertaining to your kid. Do not directly approach the ENT specialist.

Breastfeeding

The instances of ear infections are found to be alarmingly higher in the case of kids who were not breastfed. This is because breast milk has antibodies that enable the body to fight a number of infections, ear infection being one of them.

If you find your child, who is less than 24 months of age, suffering from ear infections, chances are that breastfeeding him or her will take care of the situation. Even if your child does not suffer from ear infections, it is always a good idea to breastfeed him or her in order to bring down the chances of an ear infection later on in life.

Warm Compress

This is one of the easiest ways because it not just helps to bring down the ear infection but also provides immediate relief to the pain. That is why children generally tend to love this. Here, a warm, moist compost is taken and gently placed over the child's ear. It is a good idea to have your child rest his or her head on your lap while doing this. Keep the compress over the ear for 10 to 15 minutes. If needed, you can repeat this for 2 to 3 times a day in order to get the best results.

Keeping Away From Exposure To Smoke

All of us are aware of the harmful effects of passive smoking on an adult. However, the same seems to amplify itself when the person in question is a child. One of the first organs that is affected is the ear and children are seen to complain of ear pain and sometimes reduction in hearing ability is observed. This is due to the fact that smoke causes inflammation of the Eustachian tube resulting in infections. Thus, if you are a smoker, make sure that you do not do that in front of your child. If you find others doing that in front of your child, take appropriate measures. This will be your first step in tackling your child's ear infections.

Aceraminophen Medication

This is a medication that most pediatricians recommend for reducing the child's ear pain. In some cases, after due consideration and when the child is drinking reasonably well, the doctor may suggest ibuprofen as well. In most other cases, a simple course of antibiotics prescribed by your pediatrician (spanning a course of five days and, in most cases, having two tablets a day) should be enough to take care of the infection.