How to Ease Your Toddler's Ear Infections
Use a warm washcloth., Try over-the-counter pain medications., Try anesthetic drops., Hydrate your child., Skip the cold medications., Call your pediatrician., Don't demand antibiotics., Talk again in two to three days., Try to prevent colds., Pay...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use a warm washcloth.
One way to help ease pain without any medication at home is to use a warm, damp washcloth.
Hold it over the the child's ear, and it can help to ease pain.
Just make sure it's not hot, as you may end up causing pain or burns., Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications can help ease the pain of an ear infection or discomfort caused by fever.
Typically, ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the best options for this type of pain.
These medications can also help if your child is running a fever.Don't give aspirin to children under 19, as this has been linked to a serious and potentially fatal condition called Reye's Syndrome.
Follow the guidelines on the packaging for the weight of your child.
Dosages are based on weight.
Make sure to weigh your child if you don't know their weight.
Make sure you are using children's versions of OTC medication for your child.
Also, it's always best to check with your doctor before giving your child medications, particularly if this is your first time giving them to your child. , Another option is using anesthetic drops.
These drops are not the same as antibiotic drops.
They don't treat the infection itself.
Rather, they just help to dull the pain.
You can find these drops at most drug stores, and you just drop a few drops into your child's ear.Follow the directions on the bottle for how many drops and how often you should give this medication to your child. , Drinking fluids will help keep your child hydrated, which is good in itself, but it also provides another benefit with ear infections: the swallowing action encourages the fluid to move out of the ear, easing the infection.
Encourage your child to drink lots of water, broth, and drinks like Pedialyte while they have the infection., Some ear infections develop from colds.
However, you shouldn't give your child cold medications like decongestants, as they won't really help the ear infection.
In addition, they can be dangerous for children., If you notice symptoms of an ear infection, it's a good idea to at least call your child's pediatrician.
Your child should definitely see the doctor if you notice symptoms for more than a day or two, you see discharge from their ears (such as blood or pus), or you notice your child is particularly cranky after they've had a cold.
Also, take your child in if the ear pain seems particularly severe.Symptoms of an ear infection include ear pain (noticeable if the child pulls at their ear), crankiness, trouble sleeping, hearing issues, headache, ear drainage, fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), losing balance more often, and/or losing their appetite.
Ear infections often hurt more when the child is lying down. , Standard practice now dictates waiting two to three days to see if an ear infection will clear up before prescribing antibiotics if symptoms are not severe.
The reason doctors prefer to wait is most infections will clear up on their own, and waiting means antibiotics won't be over-prescribed in this instance.If your child has too many rounds of antibiotics, they can have bacteria that become resistant to them, meaning they won't be as effective.
However, if your child's symptoms are severe, antibiotics may be appropriate right away.
Severe symptoms include sweating, high fever, a fast heartbeat, extreme tiredness, and severe pain.
In addition, if your child is under two and the infection is in both ears, that's also an appropriate time for antibiotics.If your child shows any complications from an ear infection, such as a ruptured ear drum, or spread of infection outside of the ear, your doctor will want to treat the infection right away.
If your child has pink-eye along with an ear infection, your doctor will also likely want to treat this with antibiotics.
If your doctor does prescribe antibiotics, you should finish the entire treatment course as prescribed.
Don't stop giving your child antibiotics mid-treatment because they feel better. , If your child is still showing symptoms after a couple of days, particularly if they still have a fever, it's best to talk to your child's doctor again.
Also, if your child's symptoms seem to be getting worse, rather than better, talk to your doctor again.
The doctor may want to put your child on antibiotics if they haven't been on them or on a different kind if your child has been on them., While you can't prevent your child from getting all colds and infections, try to keep your child away when you know someone is sick.
Colds and respiratory infections can lead to ear infections, so limiting sickness can help limit ear infections.
That includes making sure your child gets all the recommended vaccinations, including the flu vaccination.Make sure you wash your hands regularly, especially when around your child. , If your child has allergies, they are more likely to develop ear infections.
Try using a humidifier in your child's room when their allergies are bad to help thin out mucus.
In addition, talk to your child's doctor about solutions for your child's allergies such as avoidance of allergy triggers, environmental methods, and medications.Watch for allergies as the seasons change, in particular. , When your child is sleeping, check to see if they snore or breathe through their mouth.
If they do, that could mean your child has large adenoids, which in turn could mean they may develop ear infections more frequently.Some children may need surgery to fix this condition. , Your house should be smoke free, anyway, since it's not healthy for your children.
Smoke can also cause an increase in ear infections in your child; therefore, try to make sure your child isn't exposed to secondhand smoke. -
Step 2: Try over-the-counter pain medications.
-
Step 3: Try anesthetic drops.
-
Step 4: Hydrate your child.
-
Step 5: Skip the cold medications.
-
Step 6: Call your pediatrician.
-
Step 7: Don't demand antibiotics.
-
Step 8: Talk again in two to three days.
-
Step 9: Try to prevent colds.
-
Step 10: Pay attention to allergies.
-
Step 11: Listen for loud breathing and snoring.
-
Step 12: Keep your home smoke-free.
Detailed Guide
One way to help ease pain without any medication at home is to use a warm, damp washcloth.
Hold it over the the child's ear, and it can help to ease pain.
Just make sure it's not hot, as you may end up causing pain or burns., Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications can help ease the pain of an ear infection or discomfort caused by fever.
Typically, ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the best options for this type of pain.
These medications can also help if your child is running a fever.Don't give aspirin to children under 19, as this has been linked to a serious and potentially fatal condition called Reye's Syndrome.
Follow the guidelines on the packaging for the weight of your child.
Dosages are based on weight.
Make sure to weigh your child if you don't know their weight.
Make sure you are using children's versions of OTC medication for your child.
Also, it's always best to check with your doctor before giving your child medications, particularly if this is your first time giving them to your child. , Another option is using anesthetic drops.
These drops are not the same as antibiotic drops.
They don't treat the infection itself.
Rather, they just help to dull the pain.
You can find these drops at most drug stores, and you just drop a few drops into your child's ear.Follow the directions on the bottle for how many drops and how often you should give this medication to your child. , Drinking fluids will help keep your child hydrated, which is good in itself, but it also provides another benefit with ear infections: the swallowing action encourages the fluid to move out of the ear, easing the infection.
Encourage your child to drink lots of water, broth, and drinks like Pedialyte while they have the infection., Some ear infections develop from colds.
However, you shouldn't give your child cold medications like decongestants, as they won't really help the ear infection.
In addition, they can be dangerous for children., If you notice symptoms of an ear infection, it's a good idea to at least call your child's pediatrician.
Your child should definitely see the doctor if you notice symptoms for more than a day or two, you see discharge from their ears (such as blood or pus), or you notice your child is particularly cranky after they've had a cold.
Also, take your child in if the ear pain seems particularly severe.Symptoms of an ear infection include ear pain (noticeable if the child pulls at their ear), crankiness, trouble sleeping, hearing issues, headache, ear drainage, fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), losing balance more often, and/or losing their appetite.
Ear infections often hurt more when the child is lying down. , Standard practice now dictates waiting two to three days to see if an ear infection will clear up before prescribing antibiotics if symptoms are not severe.
The reason doctors prefer to wait is most infections will clear up on their own, and waiting means antibiotics won't be over-prescribed in this instance.If your child has too many rounds of antibiotics, they can have bacteria that become resistant to them, meaning they won't be as effective.
However, if your child's symptoms are severe, antibiotics may be appropriate right away.
Severe symptoms include sweating, high fever, a fast heartbeat, extreme tiredness, and severe pain.
In addition, if your child is under two and the infection is in both ears, that's also an appropriate time for antibiotics.If your child shows any complications from an ear infection, such as a ruptured ear drum, or spread of infection outside of the ear, your doctor will want to treat the infection right away.
If your child has pink-eye along with an ear infection, your doctor will also likely want to treat this with antibiotics.
If your doctor does prescribe antibiotics, you should finish the entire treatment course as prescribed.
Don't stop giving your child antibiotics mid-treatment because they feel better. , If your child is still showing symptoms after a couple of days, particularly if they still have a fever, it's best to talk to your child's doctor again.
Also, if your child's symptoms seem to be getting worse, rather than better, talk to your doctor again.
The doctor may want to put your child on antibiotics if they haven't been on them or on a different kind if your child has been on them., While you can't prevent your child from getting all colds and infections, try to keep your child away when you know someone is sick.
Colds and respiratory infections can lead to ear infections, so limiting sickness can help limit ear infections.
That includes making sure your child gets all the recommended vaccinations, including the flu vaccination.Make sure you wash your hands regularly, especially when around your child. , If your child has allergies, they are more likely to develop ear infections.
Try using a humidifier in your child's room when their allergies are bad to help thin out mucus.
In addition, talk to your child's doctor about solutions for your child's allergies such as avoidance of allergy triggers, environmental methods, and medications.Watch for allergies as the seasons change, in particular. , When your child is sleeping, check to see if they snore or breathe through their mouth.
If they do, that could mean your child has large adenoids, which in turn could mean they may develop ear infections more frequently.Some children may need surgery to fix this condition. , Your house should be smoke free, anyway, since it's not healthy for your children.
Smoke can also cause an increase in ear infections in your child; therefore, try to make sure your child isn't exposed to secondhand smoke.
About the Author
Beverly Collins
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
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