The child's ear has a special structure. It responds not only to the perception of sounds, but also ensures the balance of the human body. If suddenly dizzy, then it is more likely that this is due to the onset of the inflammatory process.
Inflammation in the ear is a common pathology. According to statistics, 70% of children at least once faced with different forms of otitis. By the age of seven, this figure reaches 95%.
Causes of
Pediatric earaches are usually associated with several underlying factors. They appear:
- on the background of a decrease in immunity,
- due to the anatomical features of the structure of the auricle,
- in diseases of the throat,
- with sharp changes in atmospheric pressure.
Bacterial forms of infection are formed when exposed to staphylococcal flora, which begins to multiply under favorable circumstances. Bacterial diseases in children often appear due to dermatitis, eczema and a special structure of the ear.
Viral pathologies cause complications after advanced ARVI, adenoids or chronic infection in the body. Fungal diseases cause injuries, prolonged use of antibiotics and allergic reactions.
In children, inflammations are often associated with injuries. This is observed if the parents incorrectly clean the baby's ears, got a foreign body into the ear canal, or the parotid gland was damaged.
Causes of otitis in children:
How to understand that a child's ears hurt?
Listen to the child's complaints. Often the kid makes it clear to parents about the discomfort and pain that begins to beat himself with his hands over his ears, and tries to delay them. If you notice these symptoms, consult a doctor immediately.
One of the first actions is to measure the temperature. With otitis, it will be high, sometimes even above 39 degrees.
Push on the tragus of the ear. If a child begins to cry, this is the first sign that the infection has started. The tragus is an ear bump, which opens the external auditory canal. Such a simple action will help to determine from which side there is an infection.
The signs of the disease include:
- Moods and strong crying.
- Desire to lie on the side of the damaged ear.
- Peeling skin around, having redness or swelling in the area of the lymph nodes.
- Appearance of whitish or greenish discharge.
The last sign says that the case has already been started, the pus has broken through the eardrum. Watch out if, in addition to these symptoms, vomiting, dizziness occurs. This may indicate that the inner ear is affected, which is responsible not only for the perception of sound, but also for the work of the entire vestibular apparatus.
How to recognize that the child has an earache, see in our video:
The most common childhood diseases
The most common ear disease in children is otitis. With external form, the main factor for development is mechanical damage to the ear. The wound gets an infection that affects the follicle. With the diffuse form of external otitis, bacteria or viruses enter the auditory canal.
The otitis media of the middle ear in a child may appear on the background of ARVI or ENT diseases. Common cold usually causes such a form. In acute form, there is a sharp increase in symptoms. This leads to the fact that the child must urgently be shown to the doctor.
Less popular congenital ear diseases. These are pathologies associated with anatomical or physiological defects of the ear. Sometimes they are hereditary, but more often they are part of a complex developmental dysfunction syndrome. Such problems include neurosensory deafness, microtia and some others.
What is Otitis
First aid for baby
If you need to take pain off at night, the warmest compress will be the best and safest solution. For this, take a gauze or a napkin. Dilute vodka and water in equal proportions. Then lubricate the baby's skin around the ear with baby cream or petroleum jelly. Wet gauze in the composition and attach to the ear so that the auditory meatus and the shell are open. Then attach the bandage with a bandage.
If there is no confidence in the integrity of the tympanic membrane, it is better to just put a piece of cotton wool in the ear canal and top with a handkerchief. Do not do this at high temperature.
Be sure to treat a runny nose. When inflammations doctors recommend to bury children's vasoconstrictive drops in the nose. You can give the child an anesthetic taking into account the age. If you have already faced with ear diseases of children, you probably have an Otopiphas or Otinum in the medicine cabinet. If the doctor is unable to call, you can drip according to the scheme that the otolaryngologist prescribed before.
And the last safe way is to use propolis. Ointment with external otitis will get rid of the disease in 3-4 days. Alcohol tincture has a powerful anesthetic effect. You can wet a cotton wool in it and put it into the auditory canal.
First aid to the toddler:
What can and can not be done
Many parents instill boric alcohol when the earache occurs. Doctors approach this method with caution, since this method can not be used in the perforation of the tympanic membrane.
Parents can have ear infections for children:
- Give them more fluids so that the mucous membranes work at full strength.
- Give antipyretics if the temperature is very high.
- To strengthen the immune system to drink vitamins, and for the removal of inflammation, a decoction of chamomile.
It is not possible for ear diseases to children:
- Bury essential oils.
- Insert leaves of medicinal plants.
- Bury drops if there is a suspected perforation of the tympanic membrane.
- To bring a child to the street without a hat.
- Purify the deep ear passage from pus and other secretions.
- To inject alcohol into the ear, if the external ear canal hurts.
What if my child has frequent relapses?
In children under 4 years of age, frequent ear ailments are explained by the fact that they have an auditory tube between the middle ear and the nasopharynx wider and shorter. Because of this, the infection gets more often. If a baby's ears often hurt, it is probably due to a chronic inflammatory process. In this case, it is better to be like physiotherapy and follow all the recommendations of a doctor.
Doctors recommend that, with frequent ear ailments, observe the following rules:
- As long as possible, breastfeed your baby. Milk contains antibodies, as well as useful vitamins, which do not allow inflammation to develop.
- When feeding the baby, keep the head in a raised position. This will not allow milk through the nasopharynx to get into the auditory tube.
- In ARVI, clean the nasal sinuses from mucus.
- Put a cap or cap on your head even in summer.
- Do not open the front windows in the car. The wind in this case just blows in the ear.
- After bathing, carefully dry out the ears.
- Do not permanently remove earwax.
Because chronic infections often occur in children with reduced immunity, in combination with treatment it is recommended to use vitamin complexes and immunostimulants. They should be prescribed by a doctor. Sometimes a natural inducer of interferon Megasin is given on an ointment basis.
In conclusion, we should note that the baby needs to clean his ears no more than twice a week with a piece of cotton wool. It must be turned into a flagellum and wiped out the auricle, auditory canal. Do not touch the inside, because it is very gentle and is cleaned with thin hairs that push sulfur out. If you notice that the skin behind your ears began to peel off, brush it with baby cream.