Ear Infections: Is that Why Your Baby is Crying?

Earache is a very common problem among children nowadays. Almost every single child has the tendency to suffer from it and since it occurs in very young children or rather babies too so it becomes very difficult at times to understand what the complaint specifically is. Further no parent would want their babies to be sick and have an infection especially in some very sensitive body part like the ear. So here is how you can spot an ear infection in your child and take the necessary precautions to prevent it from recurring.

It has been seen that in most of the cases the infection is caught from another very common infection of the throat and nose i.e. cold. Children who are prone to cough and cold suffer from ear complaint more often than others. In very young children or let us say babies, feeding habits are a major cause for ear infections. In humans the Eustachian tube in the ear remains connected to the Esophagus. When mothers feed their babies they lie them down on their laps and then feed them, therefore there is a 75% chance of the food trickling into the Eustachian tube. This phenomenon is harmful if the child is being fed anything other than breast milk, the food particles clog the tube causing infection and earache henceforth. This can be solved if mothers, while formula feeding their babies, keep the head of the child above the stomach level. It is interesting to note that in this case too i.e. for ear infections genetics plays an important role. It has been observed that children suffering from repeated complaints of earache usually have siblings with similar complaints. So it is necessary for their parents to keep a look out for this and take prompt action whenever it happens again. Even the prolonged use of a pacifier by a child can lead to him/her acquiring an earache and an infection as well.

So how do you understand the telltale signs of an ear infection?

(a) The first and foremost symptom would be pain. For children who have not yet learnt to speak it is difficult to tell their parents what is ailing them. But you as a diligent parent should know the signs as and when you see them. Screaming and crying in pain accompanied by continual pulling or scratching or even touching the ears is a very obvious sign of pain in the ears.

(b) The child will have high fever of 100 to 140 degrees if the infection is bad. This will be accompanied with severe pain in the ears. Even if the pain is mild it is recommended that proper medical help be taken. As such, pain with fever is a prominent sign of infection.

(c) Pain will increase if and when you lie your ward down or feed your ward. If the baby gets more fussy when lying in the crib or eating then, keep a check to see if it is not from an ear infection .

(d)If yellow or white discharge is exuding from your child's ear ,accompanied or unaccompanied with thin trickles of blood then be sure that it is an ear infection and immediate prompt medical assistance is necessary.

(e) Sometimes temporary hearing loss is also an indication of ear infection. This may occur due to the blockage of the ear drum and so proper treatment is required.
So we may assume that henceforth you will be better equipped and informed with respect to your child and help protect him/her from this terrible ailing called earache.