How common are repeated infections in children?
Babies are born with immature immune systems. Their immune systems are just beginning. As a result, babies tend to get a high number of infections, usually 1 every 1 to 2 months. Their immune systems begin to mature soon after birth. The number of infections begins to go down with time. By the time children are school-age, their rate of infection is usually the same as the rate for adults.
Why might my doctor be concerned about repeated infections in my child?
Most doctors become concerned if children go from simple viral infections to more complicated and severe bacterial infections, such as blood infections and pneumonia. Unusual infections or an increase in the number of infections over time are other warning signs.
What causes some children to have more than the usual number of infections?
Sometimes it's easy to see the cause of an infection, such as being in day-care centers. Children in day-care centers give infections to each other. They drool and their noses drip. They touch each other and touch all the toys. This spreads infections. As adults we have far less contact with each other's germs, so we are less likely to catch so many infections.
Exposure to cigarette smoke (sometimes called "passive smoking") is another cause for runny noses and wheezing in young children. Because more women of childbearing age are smoking, passive smoking is a more common cause of respiratory infection in children. Passive smoking is now linked to infections and asthma in children.
Do specific medical conditions cause repeated infections in children?
Structural changes in the sinuses or the eustachian tubes (connecting tubes in each ear) are a common cause of repeated infections in children. The term "structural changes" refers to differences in the bony parts of the skull, the sinuses and the ears. These differences may be inherited. Some differences in body structure make it easier for that person to get infections because the normal drainage of the eustachian tube (in the ear) or sinuses (in the nose) is blocked. When the drainage is blocked, the number of bacteria grows. This leads to infection. In most children, as the head grows, drainage problems get better. If young children are having too many ear infections, they might need antibiotics or special ear tubes.
Allergy and asthma can also cause repeated sinusitis (stuffy or drippy nose) and wheezing. Allergy can cause inflammation inside the nose that lasts for a long time. Because of the inflammation, the normal drainage pathways of the nose and sinuses swell and get plugged up. Bacteria grow, causing an infection. Medicine is necessary to treat the cause of the infection, which is the allergy.
Coughing that goes along with mild viral infections may be a sign of asthma. Sometimes when we think children have pneumonia as a complication of a cold, they really have asthma. These children need asthma medicine in addition to other medicine for infection.
What causes children to have really serious repeated infections?
In some cases, the answer is chance alone. In rare cases, an otherwise healthy child will have 2 or 3 severe infections for no obvious reason. However, your doctor may want your child to have some simple screening tests to see if the child has an immune deficiency (a weakness in the immune system). This is the main cause of repeated severe infections.
Diseases such as cystic fibrosis are very rare. HIV disease is more common, but children usually only get HIV if their mother is infected with the HIV virus.
What can I do to prevent repeated infections in my child?
- If you smoke, stop. Until you quit completely, smoke only outside of your home and outside of your car. Smoking in a room away from your child does not help. Air filters also do not help protect your child from secondhand smoke.
- The worst season for colds is the winter. If a relative or friend takes care of your child during the winter, you could move your child out of day care, where so many other children would have colds. Smaller home-care situations (with 5 children or less) would be another good choice. Fewer children in day care means fewer infections to be exposed to.
- If you have a family history of allergies and asthma, you may want to have your doctor check your child for these conditions.
What happens to children who have repeated infections?
Most children who have repeated infections don't have any serious problems and grow up to be healthy adults. Their infections occur less frequently by the time they reach school-age. Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep and eats a healthy diet. Sleep and proper nutrition may be just as important as medicine in helping your child fight off infections.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Colds & Flu in Children
What is the common cold and the flu?
Both the common cold and the flu are infections of the respiratory tract, which includes the throat, nose, airways and lungs.
How do I know if my child has a cold or the flu?
Although the common cold and the flu share many similar symptoms, they are two different conditions.
The symptoms of a cold include :
- Fever up to 102 degrees
- Runny or stuffy nose (often with green or yellow-colored discharge)
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Fatigue and muscle aches
- Headache
The symptoms of the flu include:
- Fever over 102 degrees
- Stuffy nose
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Chills and sweats
- Fatigue and muscle aches
- Cough
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
What medicines can I give my child?
There is no cure for the cold or the flu, and antibiotics do not work against viruses.
Pain relievers such as acetaminophen (one brand: Children's Tylenol) can help ease the pain of headaches, muscle aches and sore throats as well as treat fevers. Be sure you are giving your child the correct dose according to his or her age and weight.
Nasal sprays and decongestants are not recommended for young children, as they may cause side effects. Cough and cold medicines are not recommended for children, especially those under 2 years of age. There is also little evidence that cough and cold medicines and nasal decongestants are effective in treating children.
To treat a cold or the flu, making sure that your child rests and drinks plenty of fluids. You can use a humidifier to help moisten the air in your child's bedroom. This will help with nasal congestion. You can also use a saline nasal spray to thin nasal mucus, and a bulb syringe to suction mucus out of your baby or child's nose.
Is there a way to prevent catching a cold or the flu?
The best way to prevent colds is to make sure you and your family frequently wash your hands. This will kill the germs that can lead to the cold and the flu.
Encourage your child to cough and sneeze into the inside of his or her elbow (rather than into his or her hand). Clean common surfaces such as table and counter tops, your child's toys, door handles and bathroom facilities with anti-bacterial disinfectant. This can help stop the spread of germs.
To prevent the flu, a flu vaccine is available every fall (October or November). The flu shot is safe for all children age 6 months and older, and it is strongly recommended that all children age 6 months to 59 months get a yearly flu shot. A nasal spray that prevents the flu is also available. It is safe for all children 2 years and older that do not have asthma or breathing problems.
Both the common cold and the flu are infections of the respiratory tract, which includes the throat, nose, airways and lungs.
How do I know if my child has a cold or the flu?
Although the common cold and the flu share many similar symptoms, they are two different conditions.
The symptoms of a cold include :
- Fever up to 102 degrees
- Runny or stuffy nose (often with green or yellow-colored discharge)
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Fatigue and muscle aches
- Headache
The symptoms of the flu include:
- Fever over 102 degrees
- Stuffy nose
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Chills and sweats
- Fatigue and muscle aches
- Cough
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
What medicines can I give my child?
There is no cure for the cold or the flu, and antibiotics do not work against viruses.
Pain relievers such as acetaminophen (one brand: Children's Tylenol) can help ease the pain of headaches, muscle aches and sore throats as well as treat fevers. Be sure you are giving your child the correct dose according to his or her age and weight.
Nasal sprays and decongestants are not recommended for young children, as they may cause side effects. Cough and cold medicines are not recommended for children, especially those under 2 years of age. There is also little evidence that cough and cold medicines and nasal decongestants are effective in treating children.
To treat a cold or the flu, making sure that your child rests and drinks plenty of fluids. You can use a humidifier to help moisten the air in your child's bedroom. This will help with nasal congestion. You can also use a saline nasal spray to thin nasal mucus, and a bulb syringe to suction mucus out of your baby or child's nose.
Is there a way to prevent catching a cold or the flu?
The best way to prevent colds is to make sure you and your family frequently wash your hands. This will kill the germs that can lead to the cold and the flu.
Encourage your child to cough and sneeze into the inside of his or her elbow (rather than into his or her hand). Clean common surfaces such as table and counter tops, your child's toys, door handles and bathroom facilities with anti-bacterial disinfectant. This can help stop the spread of germs.
To prevent the flu, a flu vaccine is available every fall (October or November). The flu shot is safe for all children age 6 months and older, and it is strongly recommended that all children age 6 months to 59 months get a yearly flu shot. A nasal spray that prevents the flu is also available. It is safe for all children 2 years and older that do not have asthma or breathing problems.
Childhood Vaccines
What is a vaccine?
When germs enter the body, the immune system recognizes them as foreign substances (antigens). The immune system then produces the right antibodies to fight the antigens.
Vaccines contain antigens that cause diseases. However, the antigens in vaccines are weakened or killed. This means they cannot produce the signs or symptoms of the disease, but they do stimulate the immune system to create antibodies. These antibodies help protect you if you are exposed to the disease in the future.
Vaccines not only help keep your child healthy, they help all children by stamping out serious childhood diseases.
Are vaccines safe?
Vaccines are generally quite safe. The protection provided by vaccines far outweighs the very small risk of serious problems. Vaccines have made many serious childhood diseases rare today. Talk to your family doctor if you have any questions.
Do vaccines have side effects?
Some vaccines may cause mild temporary side effects such as fever, or soreness or a lump under the skin where the shot was given. Your family doctor will talk to you about possible side effects with certain vaccines.
When should my child be vaccinated?
Recommendations about when to have your child vaccinated change from time to time. You can get a copy of the most current child (1-page PDF file; About PDFs) or adolescent (1-page PDF file; About PDFs) vaccination schedules from an organization such as the American Academy of Family Physicians or the American Academy of Pediatrics, or you can ask your family doctor. Vaccinations usually start when your child is 2 months old and most are finished by the time he or she is 6 years old.
Are there any reasons my child should not be vaccinated?
In some special situations, children shouldn't be vaccinated. For example, some vaccines shouldn't be given to children who have certain types of cancer or certain diseases, or who are taking drugs that lower the body's ability to resist infection.
If your child has had a serious reaction to the first shot in a series of shots, your family doctor will probably talk with you about the pros and cons of giving him or her the rest of the shots in the series.
Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about whether your child should receive a vaccine.
What is the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is available by shot or by nasal spray. The flu shot contains dead viruses. The nasal-spray vaccine contains live but weakened viruses. You cannot get the flu from the flu shot or the nasal-spray vaccine.
The flu vaccine is given at the beginning of the flu season, usually in October or November. The flu shot is safe for children 6 months of age and older. The nasal spray vaccine is safe for children 2 years of age and older. Because flu viruses change from year to year, it is very important for your child to get the vaccine each year so that he or she will be protected. Children are more likely to have complications from the flu.
What is the DTaP vaccine?
The DTaP vaccine is 3 vaccines in 1 shot. It protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. It's given as a series of 5 shots.
Diphtheria is a disease that attacks the throat and heart. It can lead to heart failure and death. Tetanus is also called "lockjaw." It can lead to severe muscle spasms and death.
Pertussis (also called "whooping cough") causes severe coughing that makes it hard to breathe, eat and drink. It can lead to pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage and death.
Having your child immunized when he or she is young (which means making sure he or she gets all of the DTaP shots) protects your child against these diseases for about 10 years. After this time, your child will need booster shots.
What is the Td vaccine?
The Td vaccine is used as a booster to the DTaP vaccine. It helps prevent tetanus and diphtheria. It's given when your child is 11 years old or older and every 10 years throughout life.
What is the IPV vaccine?
The IPV (inactivated poliovirus) vaccine helps prevent polio. It's given 4 times as a shot. It has replaced the older oral polio vaccine.
Polio can cause muscle pain and paralysis of one or both legs or arms. It may also paralyze the muscles used to breathe and swallow. It can lead to death.
What is the MMR vaccine?
The MMR vaccine protects against the measles, mumps and rubella. It's given as 2 shots.
Measles causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose and watery eyes. It can also cause ear infections and pneumonia. Measles can also lead to more serious problems, such as brain swelling and even death.
Mumps causes fever, headache and painful swelling of one or both of the major saliva glands. Mumps can lead to meningitis (infection of the coverings of the brain and spinal cord) and, very rarely, to brain swelling. Rarely, it can cause the testicles of boys or men to swell, which can make them unable to have children.
Rubella is also called the German measles. It causes slight fever, a rash and swelling of the glands in the neck. Rubella can also cause brain swelling or a problem with bleeding.
If a pregnant woman catches rubella, it can cause her to lose her baby or have a baby who is blind or deaf, or has trouble learning.
Some people have suggested that the MMR vaccine causes autism. However, good research has shown that there is no link between autism and childhood vaccinations.
What is the Hib vaccine?
The Hib vaccine helps prevent Haemophilus influenza type b, a leading cause of serious illness in children. It can lead to meningitis, pneumonia and a severe throat infection that can cause choking. The Hib vaccine is given as a series of 3 or 4 shots.
What is the varicella vaccine?
The varicella vaccine helps prevent chickenpox. It is given to children once after they are 12 months old or to older children if they have never had chickenpox or been vaccinated. The varicella vaccine is given as a series of 2 shots.
What is the HBV vaccine?
The HBV vaccine helps prevent hepatitis B virus (HBV), an infection of the liver that can lead to liver cancer and death. The vaccine is given as a series of 3 or 4 shots. The HBV vaccine and Hib vaccine can also be given together in the same shot.
What is the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine?
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) protects against a type of bacteria that is a common cause of ear infections. This bacteria can also cause more serious illnesses, such as meningitis and bacteremia (infection in the blood stream). Infants and toddlers are given 4 doses of the vaccine. The vaccine may also be used in older children who are at risk for pneumococcal infection.
What is the meningococcal conjugate vaccine?
The meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) protects against 4 strains ("types") of bacterial meningitis caused by the bacteria N. meningitidis. Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. It is a serious illness that can cause high fever, headache, stiff neck and confusion. It can also cause more serious complications, such as brain damage, hearing loss or blindness.
Children should get the MCV4 vaccine at 11 to 12 years of age. Children older than 12 who have not received the vaccine should receive it before starting high school.
When germs enter the body, the immune system recognizes them as foreign substances (antigens). The immune system then produces the right antibodies to fight the antigens.
Vaccines contain antigens that cause diseases. However, the antigens in vaccines are weakened or killed. This means they cannot produce the signs or symptoms of the disease, but they do stimulate the immune system to create antibodies. These antibodies help protect you if you are exposed to the disease in the future.
Vaccines not only help keep your child healthy, they help all children by stamping out serious childhood diseases.
Are vaccines safe?
Vaccines are generally quite safe. The protection provided by vaccines far outweighs the very small risk of serious problems. Vaccines have made many serious childhood diseases rare today. Talk to your family doctor if you have any questions.
Do vaccines have side effects?
Some vaccines may cause mild temporary side effects such as fever, or soreness or a lump under the skin where the shot was given. Your family doctor will talk to you about possible side effects with certain vaccines.
When should my child be vaccinated?
Recommendations about when to have your child vaccinated change from time to time. You can get a copy of the most current child (1-page PDF file; About PDFs) or adolescent (1-page PDF file; About PDFs) vaccination schedules from an organization such as the American Academy of Family Physicians or the American Academy of Pediatrics, or you can ask your family doctor. Vaccinations usually start when your child is 2 months old and most are finished by the time he or she is 6 years old.
Are there any reasons my child should not be vaccinated?
In some special situations, children shouldn't be vaccinated. For example, some vaccines shouldn't be given to children who have certain types of cancer or certain diseases, or who are taking drugs that lower the body's ability to resist infection.
If your child has had a serious reaction to the first shot in a series of shots, your family doctor will probably talk with you about the pros and cons of giving him or her the rest of the shots in the series.
Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about whether your child should receive a vaccine.
What is the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is available by shot or by nasal spray. The flu shot contains dead viruses. The nasal-spray vaccine contains live but weakened viruses. You cannot get the flu from the flu shot or the nasal-spray vaccine.
The flu vaccine is given at the beginning of the flu season, usually in October or November. The flu shot is safe for children 6 months of age and older. The nasal spray vaccine is safe for children 2 years of age and older. Because flu viruses change from year to year, it is very important for your child to get the vaccine each year so that he or she will be protected. Children are more likely to have complications from the flu.
What is the DTaP vaccine?
The DTaP vaccine is 3 vaccines in 1 shot. It protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. It's given as a series of 5 shots.
Diphtheria is a disease that attacks the throat and heart. It can lead to heart failure and death. Tetanus is also called "lockjaw." It can lead to severe muscle spasms and death.
Pertussis (also called "whooping cough") causes severe coughing that makes it hard to breathe, eat and drink. It can lead to pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage and death.
Having your child immunized when he or she is young (which means making sure he or she gets all of the DTaP shots) protects your child against these diseases for about 10 years. After this time, your child will need booster shots.
What is the Td vaccine?
The Td vaccine is used as a booster to the DTaP vaccine. It helps prevent tetanus and diphtheria. It's given when your child is 11 years old or older and every 10 years throughout life.
What is the IPV vaccine?
The IPV (inactivated poliovirus) vaccine helps prevent polio. It's given 4 times as a shot. It has replaced the older oral polio vaccine.
Polio can cause muscle pain and paralysis of one or both legs or arms. It may also paralyze the muscles used to breathe and swallow. It can lead to death.
What is the MMR vaccine?
The MMR vaccine protects against the measles, mumps and rubella. It's given as 2 shots.
Measles causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose and watery eyes. It can also cause ear infections and pneumonia. Measles can also lead to more serious problems, such as brain swelling and even death.
Mumps causes fever, headache and painful swelling of one or both of the major saliva glands. Mumps can lead to meningitis (infection of the coverings of the brain and spinal cord) and, very rarely, to brain swelling. Rarely, it can cause the testicles of boys or men to swell, which can make them unable to have children.
Rubella is also called the German measles. It causes slight fever, a rash and swelling of the glands in the neck. Rubella can also cause brain swelling or a problem with bleeding.
If a pregnant woman catches rubella, it can cause her to lose her baby or have a baby who is blind or deaf, or has trouble learning.
Some people have suggested that the MMR vaccine causes autism. However, good research has shown that there is no link between autism and childhood vaccinations.
What is the Hib vaccine?
The Hib vaccine helps prevent Haemophilus influenza type b, a leading cause of serious illness in children. It can lead to meningitis, pneumonia and a severe throat infection that can cause choking. The Hib vaccine is given as a series of 3 or 4 shots.
What is the varicella vaccine?
The varicella vaccine helps prevent chickenpox. It is given to children once after they are 12 months old or to older children if they have never had chickenpox or been vaccinated. The varicella vaccine is given as a series of 2 shots.
What is the HBV vaccine?
The HBV vaccine helps prevent hepatitis B virus (HBV), an infection of the liver that can lead to liver cancer and death. The vaccine is given as a series of 3 or 4 shots. The HBV vaccine and Hib vaccine can also be given together in the same shot.
What is the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine?
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) protects against a type of bacteria that is a common cause of ear infections. This bacteria can also cause more serious illnesses, such as meningitis and bacteremia (infection in the blood stream). Infants and toddlers are given 4 doses of the vaccine. The vaccine may also be used in older children who are at risk for pneumococcal infection.
What is the meningococcal conjugate vaccine?
The meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) protects against 4 strains ("types") of bacterial meningitis caused by the bacteria N. meningitidis. Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. It is a serious illness that can cause high fever, headache, stiff neck and confusion. It can also cause more serious complications, such as brain damage, hearing loss or blindness.
Children should get the MCV4 vaccine at 11 to 12 years of age. Children older than 12 who have not received the vaccine should receive it before starting high school.
Earaches in Children
How does the ear work?
The ear works by receiving sound waves and sending messages to the brain. The outer ear includes the part of the ear you can see and the ear canal. The sound waves go through the ear canal and hit the eardrum and cause it to vibrate.
The vibration of the eardrum causes the tiny bones in the ear to move. This movement sends the sound waves to the inner ear.
What causes earaches?
A tube called the eustachian (say: "you-stay-shun") tube connects the middle ear with the back of the nose. Normally this tube lets fluid drain out of the middle ear. If bacteria or viruses infect the lining of your child’s eustachian tube, the tube gets swollen and fills with thick mucus. This keeps fluid in the ear from draining normally. Bacteria can grow in the fluid, increasing pressure behind the eardrum and causing pain.
The eustachian tubes can become blocked because of allergies, a cold or other infection. In other cases, the adenoids (glands near the ear) become enlarged and block the eustachian tubes.
Acute ear infections usually clear up within 1 or 2 weeks. Sometimes, ear infections last longer and become chronic. After an infection, fluid may stay in the middle ear. This may lead to more infections and hearing loss.
What are the symptoms of ear infections?
The most common symptoms of an acute ear infection are ear pain and fever. If your child is too young to tell you what hurts, he or she may cry or pull at his or her ear. Your child may also be irritable or listless, have trouble hearing, or not feel like eating or sleeping.
What is the treatment for ear infections?
The treatment for ear infections may include any of the following:
- If your doctor thinks the infection is caused by bacteria, he or she may prescribe an antibiotic. (Antibiotics don't work for infections caused by viruses.) It's very important to follow the directions for giving your child the medicine.
- Pain relievers like acetaminophen (brand names: Children's or Infants' Tylenol) and ibuprofen (brand names: Children's Advil or Children's Motrin) can help make your child feel better and reduce fever. Never give your child aspirin, as it have been linked to Reye's syndrome.
- A warm (not hot) heating pad held over the ear can also help relieve pain from the earache.
- Ear drops to relieve pain are sometimes prescribed.
Why are earaches so common in children?
This may be because children's eustachian tubes are shorter and more narrow than those of adults. Most children will have at least 1 ear infection by their third birthday.
Children may be at higher risk for ear infections if they :
- Are around people who smoke.
- Have had previous ear infections.
- Have a family history of ear infections.
- Attend day care (because they are exposed to more germs and viruses).
- Were born prematurely or with a low birth weight.
- Have frequent colds or other infections.
- Take a bottle to bed.
- Use a pacifier.
- Are male (boys tend to get more ear infections than girls).
- Have nasal speech (caused by large adenoids that block the eustachian tube).
- Have allergies with nasal congestion.
What can be done to prevent ear infections from returning?
Some children seem to get many ear infections. If your child has had 3 ear infections in 6 months or 4 in 1 year, your doctor may suggest that your child take a low dose of antibiotic every day, usually during the winter, when these infections are most common.
Your doctor may want to see your child a few times when he or she is taking the antibiotic to make sure another ear infection does not happen.
Will earaches hurt my child's hearing?
Middle ear infections and fluid in the ear are the most common causes of temporary hearing loss in children. Children who have ongoing problems with hearing may have trouble developing their speech and language skills. For this reason, it is important to talk with your doctor if your child has repeated ear infections.
What about fluid that stays in the middle ear?
Your child's hearing may be affected if fluid stays in the middle ear after an infection. This is called otitis media with effusion. (Effusion is another word for fluid buildup.) Usually the fluid goes away in 2 to 3 months, and hearing returns to normal. Your doctor may want to check your child again at this time to see if fluid is still present.
If the fluid stays for more than a few months, your doctor may want to check your child's hearing. Your doctor may recommend ear tubes (also called tympanostomy tubes) to drain the fluid. Ear tubes may also decrease the number of ear infections your child gets.
What are ear tubes?
Ear tubes are tiny plastic tubes that help balance the pressure in your child's ears. They allow air into the middle ear so that fluid can drain out down the eustachian tube. They're put into the eardrum (which is also called the tympanic membrane) during surgery and stay in place for an average of 6 to 9 months.
The tubes are usually left in place until they fall out on their own or your doctor decides your child no longer needs them. Sometimes, another set of tubes may be needed.
Placing tubes in the ears requires an operation and has some risks. Your child will need general anesthesia when the tube is inserted. Your doctor will talk with you about the risks if he or she thinks your child needs ear tubes.
The ear works by receiving sound waves and sending messages to the brain. The outer ear includes the part of the ear you can see and the ear canal. The sound waves go through the ear canal and hit the eardrum and cause it to vibrate.
The vibration of the eardrum causes the tiny bones in the ear to move. This movement sends the sound waves to the inner ear.
What causes earaches?
A tube called the eustachian (say: "you-stay-shun") tube connects the middle ear with the back of the nose. Normally this tube lets fluid drain out of the middle ear. If bacteria or viruses infect the lining of your child’s eustachian tube, the tube gets swollen and fills with thick mucus. This keeps fluid in the ear from draining normally. Bacteria can grow in the fluid, increasing pressure behind the eardrum and causing pain.
The eustachian tubes can become blocked because of allergies, a cold or other infection. In other cases, the adenoids (glands near the ear) become enlarged and block the eustachian tubes.
Acute ear infections usually clear up within 1 or 2 weeks. Sometimes, ear infections last longer and become chronic. After an infection, fluid may stay in the middle ear. This may lead to more infections and hearing loss.
What are the symptoms of ear infections?
The most common symptoms of an acute ear infection are ear pain and fever. If your child is too young to tell you what hurts, he or she may cry or pull at his or her ear. Your child may also be irritable or listless, have trouble hearing, or not feel like eating or sleeping.
What is the treatment for ear infections?
The treatment for ear infections may include any of the following:
- If your doctor thinks the infection is caused by bacteria, he or she may prescribe an antibiotic. (Antibiotics don't work for infections caused by viruses.) It's very important to follow the directions for giving your child the medicine.
- Pain relievers like acetaminophen (brand names: Children's or Infants' Tylenol) and ibuprofen (brand names: Children's Advil or Children's Motrin) can help make your child feel better and reduce fever. Never give your child aspirin, as it have been linked to Reye's syndrome.
- A warm (not hot) heating pad held over the ear can also help relieve pain from the earache.
- Ear drops to relieve pain are sometimes prescribed.
Why are earaches so common in children?
This may be because children's eustachian tubes are shorter and more narrow than those of adults. Most children will have at least 1 ear infection by their third birthday.
Children may be at higher risk for ear infections if they :
- Are around people who smoke.
- Have had previous ear infections.
- Have a family history of ear infections.
- Attend day care (because they are exposed to more germs and viruses).
- Were born prematurely or with a low birth weight.
- Have frequent colds or other infections.
- Take a bottle to bed.
- Use a pacifier.
- Are male (boys tend to get more ear infections than girls).
- Have nasal speech (caused by large adenoids that block the eustachian tube).
- Have allergies with nasal congestion.
What can be done to prevent ear infections from returning?
Some children seem to get many ear infections. If your child has had 3 ear infections in 6 months or 4 in 1 year, your doctor may suggest that your child take a low dose of antibiotic every day, usually during the winter, when these infections are most common.
Your doctor may want to see your child a few times when he or she is taking the antibiotic to make sure another ear infection does not happen.
Will earaches hurt my child's hearing?
Middle ear infections and fluid in the ear are the most common causes of temporary hearing loss in children. Children who have ongoing problems with hearing may have trouble developing their speech and language skills. For this reason, it is important to talk with your doctor if your child has repeated ear infections.
What about fluid that stays in the middle ear?
Your child's hearing may be affected if fluid stays in the middle ear after an infection. This is called otitis media with effusion. (Effusion is another word for fluid buildup.) Usually the fluid goes away in 2 to 3 months, and hearing returns to normal. Your doctor may want to check your child again at this time to see if fluid is still present.
If the fluid stays for more than a few months, your doctor may want to check your child's hearing. Your doctor may recommend ear tubes (also called tympanostomy tubes) to drain the fluid. Ear tubes may also decrease the number of ear infections your child gets.
What are ear tubes?
Ear tubes are tiny plastic tubes that help balance the pressure in your child's ears. They allow air into the middle ear so that fluid can drain out down the eustachian tube. They're put into the eardrum (which is also called the tympanic membrane) during surgery and stay in place for an average of 6 to 9 months.
The tubes are usually left in place until they fall out on their own or your doctor decides your child no longer needs them. Sometimes, another set of tubes may be needed.
Placing tubes in the ears requires an operation and has some risks. Your child will need general anesthesia when the tube is inserted. Your doctor will talk with you about the risks if he or she thinks your child needs ear tubes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)