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How To Soothe Ear Infection In Baby

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Does My Baby Have An Ear Infection

Baby Ear Infection Natural Remedies for Ear Infection That Really Work!

Take this quick quiz to find out just how much you know about ear infections.

Q. Are all children at risk for ear infections?

A. Ear infections are common in kids, especially babies between ages 6 and 18 months. One reason may be simple anatomy. The tube that drains fluid from inside each ear is much shorter in children than in adults.

In children, ear infections often follow a cold virus. One study in Pediatrics found that 30 percent of upper respiratory infections in kids younger than age 3 led to an ear infection. Other factors, such as being around smokers, can raise the risk for ear infection.

Q. How do I know if my baby has an ear infection?

A. Young ones may cry and tug at their ears. Theyll seem irritable and wont feel like eating or sleeping. They also may have a fever.

Q. Does my little one need antibiotics?

A. It depends on your childs age. Most ear infections in older babies and kids go away after a week or two without antibiotics. Taking these medicines when they arent needed can make it harder for your child to fight off future infections.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends antibiotics for babies younger than 6 months with ear infections. If your child is between 6 and 24 months and the ear infection isnt serious, antibiotics may offer little benefit. After age 2, an antibiotic is recommended only for a severe ear infection.

Online Medical Reviewer: Desrosiers, Florence MD

Date Last Reviewed: 4/2/2010

Best Home Remedies For Ear Infections Pain In Babies Toddlers Adults

Ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria in the middle ear and children have higher risks of developing ear infections than adults. Ear infections can occur in any of the ears parts. It is very important to treat ear infections in order to prevent complications, including rupturing or damaging the ear drum. If untreated, ear infections can cause chronic recurrence and even deafness.

What Causes Ear Infections In Toddlers

There are several reasons behind a toddlers ear infection. However, some reasons are far more common and widespread.

  • Common cold is the leading cause for ear infection among toddlers . The cold virus can traverse through the eustachian tube along with the mucus and land in the middle ear, causing an infection.
  • Pneumonia and influenza: The pathogens of pneumonia and influenza or flu can lead to an ear infection.
  • Sinonasal infection, which is the infection of the nasal sinuses called sinusitis, can lead to a swollen eustachian tube, which can increase the pressure within the middle ear. The swelling also prevents the middle ear from draining its secretions thus causing pain and infection .
  • Tonsillitis is an infection of the pair of tonsil tissue that lies on either side of the throat. Tonsillitis caused by streptococcus bacteria can quite commonly lead to otitis media .
  • Adenoid infection: Adenoids are related to tonsils and together are part of the lymphatic system that plays a vital role in the immunity system. Adenoid is located right behind the nasal cavity, and an infection there causes the tissue to inflame and mount pressure on the eustachian tube, eventually blocking it. The trapped fluids within middle ear get infected by bacteria .
  • Sore throat infection : A bacteria or virus that causes sore throat infection can also cause otitis media .

Some toddlers are at a higher risk than others in developing a middle ear infection.

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When Else Are Antibiotics Needed

Antibiotics can be the right treatment for kids who get a lot of ear infections. Their doctors might prescribe daily antibiotics to help prevent future infections. And younger children or those with more severe illness may need antibiotics right from the start.

The “wait-and-see” approach also might not apply to children with other concerns, such as cleft palate, genetic conditions such as Down syndrome, or other illnesses such as immune system disorders.

Ear Infection Treatment: The Scoop On Antibiotics Ear Tubes And Everything In Between

3 Natural Remedies For Ear Infection in Babies and ...

Ever wonder what goes into the decision to prescribe antibiotics for an ear infection or to wait it out? Our experts weigh in on the right way to treat an ear infection.

When you have a child with an earache, you want to make it go away. Now. Completely.

Ear infections are the second most common illness of childhood behind colds, which means that nearly all of us have shown up at the doctor’s office with a cranky child who is holding his ear.;It’s natural to expect a prescription for an antibiotic. After all, your child has an infection, right?

But it doesn’t always work that way. Doctors today are less likely to pull out that prescription pad, because the germs that cause ear infections are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Here’s the scoop on understanding an antibiotic prescription when it comes to ear infections, plus other ear infection remedies out there to help relieve you’re child’s pain.

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What Happens If My Child Keeps Getting Ear Infections

To keep a middle ear infection from coming back, it helps to limit some of the factors that might put your child at risk, such as not being around people who smoke and not going to bed with a bottle. In spite of these precautions, some children may continue to have middle ear infections, sometimes as many as five or six a year. Your doctor may want to wait for several months to see if things get better on their own but, if the infections keep coming back and antibiotics arent helping, many doctors will recommend a surgical procedure that places a small ventilation tube in the eardrum to improve air flow and prevent fluid backup in the middle ear. The most commonly used tubes stay in place for six to nine months and require follow-up visits until they fall out.

If placement of the tubes still doesnt prevent infections, a doctor may consider removing the adenoids to prevent infection from spreading to the eustachian tubes.

Signs Of Ear Infection In Babies

Your little one cant tell you whats hurting her, so to spot the signs of ear infection in baby, you may have to play detective. Heres what to look for:

Runny nose. A baby ear infection is usually a complication from a cold, so a runny nose is a classic symptom, explains Natasha Burgert, MD, a pediatrician with Pediatric Associates in Kansas City, Missouri.

Fever. Babys temperature may range from 100 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fussiness. Ear infection in babies can be pretty painful, so your little one will likely be irritable and cry a bunch.

Loss of appetite. The pain can be particularly bad during feedings, since sucking and swallowing can cause uncomfortable pressure changes in the middle ear.

Pulling at the ears. Even if baby cant tell you his ear hurts, constant tugging on his ear is a sign it may be bothering him.

Trouble sleeping. The discomfort from a baby ear infection can lead to some restless nights for your little one.

Fluid or redness behind the eardrum. You may notice foul-smelling yellow or white fluid seeping from your childs ear. But some kids have little outward signs at all, Burgert says. The only way to really know if they have an ear infection is for a doctor to take a look.

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When Do Children Need Tubes In Their Ears

If your child has frequent ear infections, or if he has trouble hearing because of ongoing fluid in the middle ear, he may need a tube inserted through the ear drum and into the middle ear. The tube helps to keep air pressure normal on both sides of the ear drum and helps fluid drain from the middle ear.

Putting tubes in requires a brief operation by an ear, nose and throat surgeon. Children usually go home the same day.

How To Treat Yeast Infection In Babies Using Coconut Oil And Tea Tree Oil

HOME REMEDIES FOR BABY EAR INFECTIONS | Natural Healing For Babies

Another way on how to treat yeast infection in babies is a combination of coconut oil and tea tree oil. Using essential oils such as tea tree or lavender oil can be extremely beneficial for the baby yeast infection. This combination will help to cure the yeast infection and make your babys skin soft and smooth at one time.

Get these:

1 teaspoon of coconut oil

2-3 drops of tea tree oil

Procedure:

Take the tea tree together with the liquid form of coconut oil in 1 bowl, and mix well. Then, apply this mixture to the skin area of your baby that is affected by yeast infection. You can also use this mixture prior to changing the diaper. Let the oil dry naturally and change the diaper with a new one. Repeat the process 2 times a day or until the infection has been cured completely.

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Symptoms Of Ear Infections In Babies

There are many symptoms that may indicate an ear infection. Again, just having one of these symptoms doesnt always mean your baby has an ear infection. But if your baby has several of these symptoms togetherand especially if they have recently had a cold or other virus you can suspect that they may have an ear infection.

  • Crankiness and fussiness due to discomfort and pain
  • Trouble sleeping or lying down flat
  • Pulling at the ears from pain
  • Fever
  • Digestive discomfort
  • Clumsiness due to ear balance issues
  • Yellow or brownish fluid draining out of your babys ear
  • Difficulty hearing or responding to the sound of your voicethis is due to fluid build up in the ear and should resolve after the ear infection is over

What To Expect From Your Doctor

Most children will recover from an ear infection in about three days. While it used to be common practice to prescribe antibiotics, unnecessary use of antibiotics increases the risk that the infection-causing bacteria will develop a resistance to medications. Future infections can become harder to treat.

Doctors today tend to reserve antibiotics for:

  • Children under six months of age
  • Severe cases, such as ruptured eardrums
  • Infections lasting longer than 72 hours
  • Children at risk for serious infection or complications

Unless your child already had a cold or flu, cold and flu medications are unlikely to help. Your doctor may recommend a mild anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofen, for children over six months old.

Your doctor may recommend you postpone any planned airplane trips until the infection clears up. Changes in cabin pressure can exacerbate symptoms and risk eardrum perforation.

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Can Swimming Cause Ear Infections In Toddlers

Yes. However, the infection is not of the middle ear, but of the skin of the outer ear canal. The infection does not reach the middle ear and stays restricted to the external ear. For this reason, the condition is called otitis externa or swimmers ear . Otitis externa usually occurs when excessive water enters the ears as the toddler spends too much time in the pool. The wet conditions eventually cause bacterial and fungal invasion leading to an infection.

Accumulation Of Milk In Eustachian Tube

Ear Infection

Babies that are bottle-fed and drink milk on their back are at a greater risk of having an inflamed eustachian tube as milk rolls down from their mouth into the ears while feeding. The oral and nasal cavities are connected and drinking while on the back can cause the milk to pass into the nasal cavity. From here the milk can move towards the middle ear by passing through the horizontal eustachian tubes of the baby. Here the milk may get accumulated with the natural milk bacteria causing infection and inflammation.

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Delayed Or Lack Of Response Towards Sounds

An ear infection can be one of the several underlying reasons for a babys lack of response to sounds. When fluid builds up in the middle ear, it slows the passage of sound towards the inner ear. The infection makes the fluid thicker, thus impeding the movement of sound impulses from the outer ear to the inner ear. It means your baby will have trouble responding to sounds and voices.

Antibiotics For Baby Ear Infection

Many kids suffer from ear infections. These infections are generally present behind eardrum in middle ear. Bacterial infections are treated by doctors with antibiotics, which are strong drugs to kill bacteria.

Children, some babies and infants require antibiotics.;However, using antibiotics very often may be harmful due to following reasons.

In majority of the cases, antibiotics may not be required as

  • ;Ear infections caused due to viruses are not treated by them.
  • ;Pain is not relieved by them.
  • ;Usually, infections due to virus and in some cases bacteria get better on their own within 2-3 days, particularly in kids greater than two years of age.

In case you feel that your kid is suffering from infection of ear, then you should make a call to the office of your physician and describe their symptoms. Usually, you will be asked by your physician to wait for a couple of days before you take your kid to them.

The main symptom of infection of ear is pain, usually on day one. Or your kid may develop fever.

Start baby ear infection treatment;by giving the kid an OTC pain reliever including:

  • ;Ibuprofen
  • ;Acetaminophen

Pain relievers form an important part of treatment and generally you may require only them to treat ear infection in your baby.

There Are Side Effects of Antibiotics

Overusing Antibiotics May Create Problems

When Is Baby Ear Infection Treatment with Antibiotics Required?

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Home And Natural Remedies

Doctors usually advise caregivers to watch their child for 2 to 3 days to give the babys immune system the chance to fight off the infection without the need for antibiotics.

During this time, doctors will probably recommend that caregivers treat the symptoms of the infection at home. Remedies may include:

  • Over-the-counter medication. In babies of 6 months or older, caregivers may consider giving the child acetaminophen to relieve pain or fever. Speak to a doctor before giving any medication to babies under 3 months of age.
  • Warm compress. Holding a warm compress to the childs ear may also help ease the pain.
  • Fluids. Giving the child plenty of fluids to drink encourages swallowing, which can help drain the middle ear and relieve painful pressure.

Why Are Children More Likely Than Adults To Get Ear Infections

HOW TO TREAT KIDS EAR INFECTIONS! | NATURALLY

There are several reasons why children are more likely than adults to get ear infections.

Eustachian tubes are smaller and more level in children than they are in adults. This makes it difficult for fluid to drain out of the ear, even under normal conditions. If the eustachian tubes are swollen or blocked with mucus due to a cold or other respiratory illness, fluid may not be able to drain.

A childs immune system isnt as effective as an adults because its still developing. This makes it harder for children to fight infections.

As part of the immune system, the adenoids respond to bacteria passing through the nose and mouth. Sometimes bacteria get trapped in the adenoids, causing a chronic infection that can then pass on to the eustachian tubes and the middle ear.

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How Is It Treated

Most ear infections go away on their own, although antibiotics are recommended for children younger than 6 months of age and for children at high risk for complications. You can treat your child at home with an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen , a warm cloth on the ear, and rest. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18. Your doctor may give you eardrops that can help your child’s pain. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.

Your doctor can give your child antibiotics, but ear infections often get better without them. Talk about this with your doctor. Whether you use them will depend on how old your child is and how bad the infection is.

Minor surgery to put tubes in the ears may help if your child has hearing problems or repeat infections.

Sometimes after an infection, a child cannot hear well for a while. Call your doctor if this lasts for 3 to 4 months. Children need to be able to hear in order to learn how to talk.

What Increases Your Risk

Some things that increase the risk for middle ear infection are out of your control. These include:

  • Age. Children ages 3 years and younger are most likely to get ear infections. Also, young children get more colds and other upper respiratory infections. Most children have at least one ear infection before they are 7 years old.
  • Birth defects or other medical conditions. Babies with cleft palate or Down syndrome are more likely to get ear infections.
  • Weakened immune system. Children with severely impaired immune systems have more ear infections than healthy children.
  • Family history. Children are more likely to have repeat middle ear infections if a parent or sibling had repeat ear infections.
  • Allergies. Allergies cause long-term stuffiness in the nose that can block one or both eustachian tubes, which connect the back of the nose and throat with the middle ears. This blockage can cause fluid to build up in the middle ear.

Other things that increase the risk for ear infection include:

Things that increase the risk for repeated ear infections also include:

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Five Tips To Help Relieve Ear Infection Symptoms At Home

If your little one is cranky, unusually fussy and tugging at his or her ear or is feverish and having difficulty sleeping, chances are it may be due to an ear infection.

Five out of six children experience an ear infection by the time they are 3 years old, according to the National Institutes of Health. The odds are that your child will have an ear infection before kindergarten.

What causes an ear infection?

Ear infections can be caused by either bacteria or a virus, often following a cold. The common cold can cause the middle ear to become inflamed and fluid to build up behind the eardrum. The Eustachian tube, which connects the ears, nose and throat, can also become swollen.;

Children are more susceptible to ear infections than adults because they have shorter and narrower Eustachian tubes, and it is easier for germs to reach the middle ear and for fluid to get trapped there, says;Kara Hutton, MD, a;pediatrician;at;Scripps Clinic Rancho Bernardo. Babies and children also have weaker immune systems, so it is more difficult for their bodies to fight an infection.

The onset of ear infections is often on day three of a cold. Ear infections peak at age 6 months to 2 years, and are a common problem until age 8, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

What is the best treatment for ear infection?

Some ear infections require antibiotic treatment, but many can get better without this medicine.

How Do Ear Infections Happen

How To Identify Ear Infection In Babies And Treat It

A middle ear infection usually happens because of swelling in one or both of the eustachian tubes . The tubes let mucus drain from the middle ear into the throat.

A cold, throat infection, acid reflux, or allergies can make the eustachian tubes swell. This blocks the mucus from draining. Then, or grow in the mucus and make pus, which builds up in the middle ear.

When doctors refer to an ear infection, they usually mean otitis media rather than swimmer’s ear . Otitis media with effusion is when noninfected fluid builds up in the ear. It might not cause symptoms, but in some kids, the fluid creates a sensation of ear fullness or “popping.”

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How To Treat Yeast Infections In Babies With Baking Soda

One of the best remedies for baby yeast infection is using baking soda. Baking sodas use effectively deals with the rashes on the skin of the baby that are caused by the yeast infection. Besides, it helps to cope with diaper rash.

Get these:

2 tablespoons of baking soda

4 cups of water

Procedure:

Take 1 bowl of water at first and to it, add the baking soda, and mix well. Then, clean the baby yeast infected area with the help of water. This will help to treat the baby yeast infection and prevent it in the future. You can also repeat this procedure every time you replace the diaper of your little one.

How Can I Prevent My Child From Getting An Ear Infection

  • Wash your childs hands and your own often to reduce the chance of catching a cold.
  • Breastfeed your baby.
  • Avoid bottle-feeding your baby when they are lying down. Never put your baby to bed with a bottle.
  • Transition your baby from a bottle to a cup by 1 year of age.
  • Dont use a pacifier too often.
  • Dont smoke, and keep your child away from any secondhand smoke. Exposure to smoke can increase the risk of ear infections.
  • Ensure your child gets the pneumococcal vaccine .
  • Ensure your child gets a flu shot every year.;

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Cold Or Warm Compresses

People often use ice packs or warm compresses, like a heating pad or damp washcloth, to relieve pain. The same can be done for ear pain. This method is safe for both children and adults.

Place the ice pack or warm compress over the ear and alternate between warm and cold after 10 minutes. If you prefer either cold or warm, you can use just one compress.

When To See A Doctor About An Earache

Baby Ear, Nose & Throat Health : The Remedies for Infant Ear Infections

Dr. Nguyen-Huynh recommends seeing a doctor if:

  • Yoursymptoms remain after twoor three days, even if youve tried over-the-counter or home remedies.
  • Yourear is very painful, oryou have other symptoms that bother you.

Other common conditions, such as temporomandibular joint dysfunction , can masquerade as earache infections. TMJ causes ear pain because the ear canal and the jaw joint share a nerve. If you have ear pain along with trouble chewing, talking or yawning, then you should see a dentist or TMJ expert to be sure youre treating the right condition, notes Dr. Nguyen-Huynh.

The good news? Hot and cold compresses and OTC pain relievers can also help relieve TMJ pain until you sort things out.

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Adenoid And Tonsil Infection

Adenoids are a pair of lymphatic tissue, quite similar to tonsils, located right above the posterior end of the nasal cavity. Just like tonsils, they are known to play a role in maintaining the immunity of the body. When adenoids or tonsil inflame, due to bacterial or viral infection, they can put pressure on the eustachian tube that is small and horizontal in babies. Babies have larger adenoids than adults making them more prone to blocked eustachian tubes due to swollen adenoids .

How Are Ear Infections Treated

To treat an ear infection, health care providers consider many things, including:

  • the type and severity of the ear infection
  • how often the child has ear infections
  • how long this infection has lasted
  • the child’s age and any risk factors
  • whether the infection affects hearing

The type of otitis affects treatment options. Not all kinds need to be treated with antibiotics. Because most ear infections can clear on their own, many doctors take a “wait-and-see” approach. Kids will get medicine for pain relief without antibiotics for a few days to see if the infection gets better.

Antibiotics aren’t routinely prescribed because they:

  • won’t help an infection caused by a virus
  • won’t get rid of middle ear fluid
  • can cause side effects
  • usually don’t relieve pain in the first 24 hours and have only a minimal effect after that

Also, overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are much harder to treat.

If a doctor does prescribe antibiotics, a 10-day course is usually recommended. Kids age 6 and older who don’t have a severe infection might take a shortened course for 5 to 7 days.

Some children, such as those with recurrent infections and those with lasting hearing loss or speech delay, may need ear tube surgery. An ear, nose, and throat doctor will surgically insert tubes that let fluid drain from the middle ear. This helps equalize the pressure in the ear.

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