Middle ear infection – toddler

Facts about middle ear infection – toddler

Otitis media in infants is a common disease. It mainly affects children between the ages of six months and six years. It is estimated that about 75 to 95 percent of all children in the first three years of life get a otitis media, about a third of them even multiple times.

There are several reasons for the frequency of childhood otitis media. Children, in contrast to adults, have a tight and short ear trumpet. Even with small inflammations it swells easily. This can affect the pressure balance in the middle ear and the outflow of fluids, and it creates a middle ear infection.

In addition, amniotic fluid sometimes enters the baby’s ear trumpet at birth – middle ear infection is also the result here.

Middle ear infection – toddler: symptoms

A middle ear infection is very painful and unpleasant. This is not only for adults, but also for the smallest ones. In particular, in middle ear inflammation toddler and baby show signs of malaise, because they can not express their symptoms otherwise. This means that in middle ear infection toddler and baby

• often reach for your ear,
• restless and
• are easily irritable.

Often they scream more than usual, especially if you touch their ear or the mastoid behind the ear.

In addition, a middle ear infection in infants may be accompanied by other non-specific signs of disease, for example:

• Fever and chills
• Food refusal and loss of appetite
• weakness
• Vomit
• diarrhea

Sometimes the eardrum tears when a middle ear infection. Then purulent-bloody secretions run out of the ear, and the pain subsides abruptly.

Some other symptoms show in middle ear infection child of older age and adolescent. For about four years, children can say that they hear worse on one side. In addition, they have less fever than younger patients.

Risk factors of middle ear infection – toddler

In addition to diseases of the upper respiratory tract such as cold, cough or tonsillitis, there are other risk factors that may favor the development of middle ear inflammation in children. These include:

• Enlarged pharyngeal tonsils (colloquially referred to as polyps)
• Kindergarten care or living with several siblings
• Smoking in the home environment
• No breastfeeding during the first months of life

Therapy of otitis media – toddler

In principle, antibiotics should not always be used immediately for every otitis media. They are not always helpful, they can even harm you. About a quarter of the middle ear infections are caused by viruses. Antibiotics do not work against them. Among the bacteria, various species are considered as triggers. An antibiotic can not be effective against all candidate bacteria.

Therefore, in case of middle ear infection, antipyretic and painkillers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen are prescribed by the doctor and decongestant nose drops. Subsequently, a check-in date is agreed for two days later. If the symptoms have not improved by then, an antibiotic is prescribed. This should be taken exactly as instructed by the doctor and not prematurely discontinued on your own.

If the middle ear infection persists, the ear, nose and throat doctor can use tympanostomy tubes in the eardrum. These provide adequate ventilation of the middle ear and allow secretions to drain. If through enlarged tonsils a otitis media affects toddler or older child, an adenotomy can be performed – ie an operative removal of the pharyngeal tonsils.

Prognosis and course of the middle ear infection – toddler

As a rule, a middle ear infection in children heals without consequences within a few days. Sometimes dangerous complications can occur as well

• Mastoiditis (inflammation of the mastoid)
• Meningitis (meningitis)
• Facial nerve palsy (facial palsy)

Therefore, it is advisable to arrange a check-up with the pediatrician.

A middle ear infection can occur repeatedly, especially if certain risk factors such as enlarged tonsils in the child are present. These recurrent otitis media should be clarified by an ear, nose and throat specialist. This is particularly important because a possible hearing loss due to the middle ear infection infant and baby may be delayed in their language development.

Prevent a middle ear infection – toddler

Breast milk seems to provide some protection against infection with the middle ear. It is used to transfer beneficial antibodies against various pathogens from the mother to the child. It is therefore advised to breastfeed babies in the first months of life.

The environment of the baby should be smoke free.

If your child has a cold, sometimes decongestant nose drops help against the development of a middle ear infection. However, the baby and child should not be given this for more than a week as they will eventually damage the nasal mucosa.

Experts officially recommend vaccination against pneumococci (Streptococcus pneumoniae) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in infancy or early childhood. These bacteria are often responsible for a purulent Otitis media. small child and baby are protected from it by the vaccine.