Children’s health Ear pain
Treating
childhood ear pain
If a child has earache or ear pain it’s probably caused by an inner ear infection. Here’s what you should know
It’s common for children to have earache or ear pain, especially when they’re young. The good news is it’s not usually anything to worry about, and even though it can be painful it should start to get better within a few days. Most earaches in children are caused by an ear infection, with most
children affected by an inner ear infection called otitis media. Inner ear infections are often the result of a virus such as a cold or flu, and they affect the tube that runs behind the eardrum to the back of the nose. Besides pain in and around the ear, symptoms of ear infections
include:
• High temperature (38C or higher) • Hearing difficulties • Fluid coming out of the ear • Pressure or a feeling of fullness inside the ear • Irritation and scaly skin in and around the ear • Vomiting
If your child is very young or a baby, they may rub or pull at their ear if they have an ear infection, if they’re irritable or restless and off their food, if they keep losing their balance and if they don’t react to some sounds, such as soft sounds and short, softly spoken words.
How to treat it Antibiotics aren’t usually used as a treatment for inner ear infections because they’re mostly caused by viruses, and antibiotics don't affect viruses. There are, however, some things you can do yourself to help relieve a child’s earache.
• Give them over-the-counter pain relief medicines such as paracetamol or ibuprofen – ask your local Careway pharmacist to recommend the best medicine for your child’s age and for instructions on how to use it.
• You can also help relieve any discomfort they’re experiencing by placing a warm flannel over the affected ear. However, don’t put anything inside your child’s ear, such as cotton buds, and don’t try to remove earwax. It’s also best to try to prevent any water getting inside their ear – for instance, ask your pharmacist if you should use ear plugs when they take a bath.
How to prevent it There may not always be anything you can do to stop your child getting an ear infection but there are a few ways to help reduce their risk:
• Try to make sure your child doesn’t spend any time in places where people are smoking, as children who are exposed to second-hand smoke may have a higher risk of developing ear infections than those living in smoke-free houses.
• Once your child reaches six months old, try not to give them a dummy, as using a dummy may allow germs to travel more easily from secretions in the nose to the ear.
• Check that your child is fully up to date with their vaccinations.
How your pharmacist can help
If your child has earache or ear pain, your local Careway pharmacist can give you lots of advice on how to treat it yourself as well as recommend over-the-counter products that may be helpful, such as ear drops. If you use ear drops, make sure your pharmacist shows you how to use them, as they may not work if they’re not used correctly. However your pharmacist may recommend
that your child sees their GP if they've had earache for more than three days. They may also need to see their GP if they're younger than two years old and have had an infection in both ears, or if they have an illness that increases their chances of having complications. You should also take your child to see their GP if:
• They have a very high temperature • They feel hot and shivery • There’s swelling around their ear • There’s something stuck in their ear
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