Remember the excruciating pain in your ear that kept you awake as a child? Most likely, yes, because 8 out of 10 children suffered from otitis media at least once. Usually the disease develops as a complication after a cold. And no one is safe from it. Therefore, it is important for parents to know how to prevent inflammation of the auditory organ, and how to relieve it if it could not be avoided.

Otitis is an inflammatory process in the human auditory system.

Classification

Otitis is inflammation of the ears. Depending on the location, it is divided into three types:

1. Outer. It affects the concha and ear canal without involving the membrane in the process.
2. Average. It affects the Eustachian tube (the canal connecting the nasopharyngeal and tympanic cavities), the tympanic cavity itself, the cave and the cells of the mastoid process (the part of the temporal bone to which the muscles responsible for tilting and turning the head are attached).
3. Internal (labyrinthitis). Covers the cochlea, its entrance and semicircular canals.

Inflammation develops very quickly, masquerading as a typical cold.

According to the duration of the flow, they are distinguished:

• spicy(no longer than 3 weeks);
• subacute(1-3 months);
• chronic(longer than 3 months).

By type of inflammation:

• catarrhal(without secretions);
• exudative(liquid released from the vessels of inflamed tissues comes out);
• purulent(pus is flowing from the ear).

There are also unilateral And bilateral otitis (affects one ear or both).

You can determine the disease in a child by pressing your finger on the small cartilage in the auricle (tragus).

Causes of the disease

The disease is caused by viruses, fungi or bacteria when there are favorable conditions for the development of these microorganisms. The causes leading to inflammation vary depending on which part of the ear is affected.

Otitis externa is preceded by mechanical damage to the ear canal(for example, when removing wax with a metal object). Microbes - fungi or bacteria - penetrate into the wound. One of the reasons leading to the disease is exposure to water while swimming in a pool or open reservoir.

The simplest thing you can do is to cover the ear canal when bathing with a cotton swab moistened with Vaseline.

Albina writes:

“At the age of 3, the child began to hold his ear and complain of pain in it. I decided to look first myself and saw that there was a foreign object there. We immediately went to the otolaryngologist. The doctor examined his son and carefully removed the part from the toy. It covered the ear canal, fitting tightly to its walls. A favorable environment has been created inside for the proliferation of harmful microorganisms.”

Otitis media develops against a background of weakened immunity after ARVI, influenza or. Pathogenic flora (usually bacteria, less often viruses) enters from the nasopharynx into the middle ear through the Eustachian tube.

Internal otitis rarely develops because access to the labyrinth is limited. Pathogenic microorganisms enter it only during infections of the blood or brain.

One of the reasons is the lack (or incorrect) treatment of middle ear inflammation.

Children who have:

• anemia;
• exudative diathesis;
• lack of body weight;
• chronic diseases of the ENT organs;
• immunodeficiency states.

Important! Otitis media is more common. It occurs more often at the age of 0.5-3 years. This is due to the anatomical features of children. The infection enters the middle ear through the Eustachian tube, and in babies it is short: microorganisms do not encounter obstacles along the way.

Course of the disease, possible complications and consequences

Otitis externa begins with infection of the ear canal, resulting in the formation of a boil. It ripens within 2-3 days and bursts. Usually the outcome of the disease is favorable. In rare cases, the secreted pus ends up in subcutaneous tissue temporal region. This threatens more serious inflammation.

Otitis media is the most common form of the disease in children.

Otitis media develops in stages:

1. Inflammation of the Eustachian tube (beginning of infection).
2. Catarrhal form of the disease (pathogenic microflora has settled throughout the entire organ).
3. Pre-perforative stage (pus accumulates).
4. Perforation of the eardrum due to pressure exerted by pus (a gap is formed).
5. Post-perforation stage (purulent contents mixed with blood come out).
6. Recovery stage (inflammation goes away, the eardrum heals).

Otitis media lasts 2-3 weeks. Possible complications:

• reduction or total loss hearing;
• transition of the disease to a chronic form;
• labyrinthitis (involvement in the inflammatory process of the inner ear);
• mastoiditis (transition of infection to the mastoid cranial process);
• intracranial complications (cerebral or epidural abscess, meningitis, vascular lesions).

Labyrinthitis in children occurs in isolated cases. Depending on the severity, the disease lasts from several weeks to several months. Complications are associated with brain damage and Meniere's disease (an increase in the volume of fluid in the inner ear, which leads to disorientation in space, tinnitus, dizziness and the development of deafness).

Signs of otitis media in children

Symptoms of otitis externa (not always apparent):

• hearing impairment;

A common symptom of the disease is hearing loss.

• swelling and redness of the shell;
• itching in the ear canal (if the cause is a fungus);
• pain that increases with opening the mouth, swallowing and chewing movements, and pressure on the ear;
• discharge of exudate or pus.

How can you tell if your baby has ear pain?

Apply pressure to the tragus (the cartilaginous projection at the front of the ear). If the baby is in pain, he will let you know by crying loudly. You can judge the pain syndrome by other signs: the child is capricious, refuses to eat, and rubs his ear.

Important! With external otitis, the temperature does not rise, and if it does rise, it is not higher than 38 degrees.

When the middle part of the auditory organ is damaged, symptoms are noted:

• throbbing pain radiating to the head, teeth (as if “shooting” in the ear);
• the child complains of noise and hearing loss;
• increase in body temperature to 38 degrees and above;
• purulent discharge mixed with mucus and blood (corresponding to the post-perforation stage, the pain subsides).

An untreated tooth can cause ear pain.

Temperature is one of the main signs of inflammation of the auditory organs. But sometimes the disease proceeds without its increase. Therefore, take your child to the doctor if you notice at least one of the symptoms described above.

Important! Ear pain is not always a consequence of otitis media. It also appears with mechanical damage to the eardrum, damage to the dental nerve by caries or cervical lymphadenitis. To rule out these diseases, be sure to seek medical help.

If treatment for otitis media is ignored, or the child has suffered serious infections of the blood or brain, damage to the inner ear may occur. It is characterized by dizziness, deterioration or loss of hearing, noise in the head and the appearance of “spots” in the eyes. The disease is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and problems with coordination and attention.

How to treat?

What to do if you suspect your child has otitis media? The main thing is not to engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication. Choosing the wrong methods can lead to complications, one of which may be permanent hearing loss. Go to the doctor. He will determine what the baby is sick with and tell you how to treat it correctly.

Evgeniy Olegovich draws mothers’ attention to three points:

Local treatment by instillation is carried out only if the eardrum is intact. If there is a hole in it, medications will penetrate into the middle ear or deeper. This is fraught with hearing impairment and the development of serious complications. Since examination at home is impossible, show the child the ear, nose and throat.

Natalya writes in her review:

“My daughter caught a cold. I treated her cough and throat. But the runny nose was not severe, so I didn’t put anything in my nose. And one day my child comes up holding his ear - and there is pus with blood. It turned out that my girl had been putting up with it for a long time severe pain, because I decided that I would have to give injections. It’s good that the membrane has recovered and my hearing has not deteriorated. But it will be a lesson for me: treatment must be complete. As the doctor said, if I had used drops, otitis media might not have happened.”

Watch a special episode of Dr. Komarovsky's school about otitis media.

Medications

It is advisable to treat external otitis media with topical agents. Let's bring them short review:

• for children from 2.5 years old. The drug has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
• no age restrictions. Antibacterial effect combined with painkillers.
• for children and adults. Combines components that reduce pain and inflammation (not an antibiotic).

Otipax has anti-inflammatory and local anesthetic effects.

Important! Warm the bottle in your hands before instillation. Children under 16 years of age: 1-2 drops 2-3 times a day. Duration of treatment is 6-10 days.

Inflammation of the middle ear early stage Treated with vasoconstrictor nasal drops:

• Otrivin Baby (suitable for newborns).
• Tizin Xylo (from 2 years old with a dosage of 0.05%, from 6 years old - with a dosage of 0.1%).

Attention! Do not use drops for adults. Concentration active ingredients higher in them. It is not suitable for children because it causes severe pain and burning.

Instill 1-2 drops of the chosen remedy three times a day into each nostril of the child in a lying position. Duration of treatment is 4-5 days. If symptoms intensify, antibiotic therapy is prescribed.

If the eardrum is intact, it can be treated sore ear drops with antibacterial properties (or). If the membrane is perforated, avoid instilling any medications. Then antibiotics are taken in the form of suspensions, tablets or injections. The most common products contain (take after a doctor’s prescription according to his recommendations).

Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic by injection.

ethnoscience

Traditional methods Treatments are only permissible for external otitis. Several recipes:

• Soak a gauze pad in camphor or boric alcohol and apply it to the sore ear. Cover with plastic or wax paper and secure the headband with a scarf. Leave for 15-30 minutes. The procedure is suitable if the boil has not yet matured. You cannot make such a compress if the child is under one year old. Up to 6 years of age, alcohol must be diluted to a concentration of 40-50% (can be replaced with vodka).

The compress should be kept as long as it has a thermal effect.

• If the inflammation is caused by a fungus, lubricate the ear canal with a soda solution(cannot be buried). An alkaline environment is detrimental to this pathogen.
• Applying heat (boiled egg, hot towel).

An ordinary hard-boiled chicken egg is also suitable for heating.

Attention! You can warm your ear only if there is no pus. With external otitis, this can be easily checked by looking into the ear canal. If the boil has not formed a head, warming procedures are acceptable. But when inflammation affects the middle organ, it is impossible to know what is inside. Then avoid heat completely, so as not to make things worse. Komarovsky shares the same opinion.

Prevention

After the amendment, immunity against the pathogen is not preserved, so the development of the disease again cannot be ruled out. Prevention will help keep your child’s ears healthy:

• In windy weather, wear a hat.
• After bathing, remove water from the ear canals using cotton swabs.
• Treat colds promptly and correctly.
• Do not use improvised means to clean your ears. Special sticks with a limiter are suitable for this purpose.

Use cotton swabs with a stopper for added safety.

Kochetkov Pavel Aleksandrovich (otolaryngologist), writes:

“One of the common causes of otitis in children under one year of age is the entry of formula into the Eustachian tube. Therefore, it is important to feed the baby correctly: you need to keep him in an inclined position, and the bottle must be sterile. But infants have nothing to fear - breast milk will not cause harm, even if it gets into the canal connecting the nasopharynx with the middle ear. It cannot cause the onset of infection.”

If a child has frequent outbreaks of the disease, it has become chronic. In this case, it is rational to use ear drops with an anti-inflammatory effect at the first symptoms of an exacerbation (,). Strengthening your immune system, avoiding immersing your head in water, and wearing thick hats in drafts will help reduce the likelihood of relapses.

Almost every mother experiences otitis media in her child. Therefore, it is important to know how parents should behave if they suspect ear inflammation. You can’t drip everything and heat the sore spot without finding out the cause of the disease and the form of its course. Diagnose and prescribe adequate treatment Only a doctor can. Then the baby will recover quickly, and his hearing will remain as sharp as it was.

Alisa Nikitina

Otitis media is common in children and it is very difficult for parents to see their baby crying from unbearable pain. But besides pain, otitis media in a child can also lead to serious complications. And the more a mother knows about this disease, the more competently and quickly she can help her baby.

What types of otitis occur in children?

Otitis externa

This is the name for inflammation that has developed in the outer part of the ear canal (this is the part of the ear up to the eardrum). But quite often the inflammatory process also affects the eardrum. Otitis externa occurs quite rarely in children. Usually occurs due to a fungal infection of the ear canal or an infection that contributes to the appearance of boils.

Symptoms of external otitis in children

With a fungal infection in the ear canal, itching is felt, crusts and peeling appear.

When boils form, the ear canal becomes red, swollen, an inflammatory tubercle appears, in the center of which a purulent core forms. When the boil matures, the pain becomes severe, sharp, and throbbing. When the boil breaks through, the pain goes away, pus begins to flow from the source of inflammation, then a deep wound remains, which heals quickly.

Otitis media

The middle ear is a small cavity located behind the eardrum that contains several fragile auditory ossicles. In response to sound waves, the eardrum vibrates, and the bones in the middle ear transmit the signal to the inner ear. The Eustachian (or auditory) tube is anatomically a tubular-shaped cavity between the middle ear and pharynx, which is designed to equalize the atmospheric pressure in the tympanic cavity.

The opening of the Eustachian tube on the side of the pharynx opens when a person yawns or swallows, and at this moment the process of equalizing pressure in the middle ear occurs. In a child (especially under 3 years old), the Eustachian tubes are much wider, shorter, and they are located more horizontally, unlike in adults.

This is why in children it is easier for pathogenic microbes to penetrate from the pharynx into the middle ear. And in infants, in addition, in the middle ear there is not a thin mucous membrane, as in adults, but loose connective tissue, which represents a very good environment for development pathogenic microorganisms. All this makes children predisposed to otitis media.

With otitis media, fluid accumulates in the middle ear cavity as a result of inflammation. Upon examination, the doctor usually sees that the eardrum is tense, reddened, and the fluid level is visible through it. As pressure and inflammation in the middle ear increase, the eardrum may burst, releasing tissue fluid and pus, possibly even blood, from the ear. At the same time, hearing deteriorates. Subsequently, healing occurs with the formation of a scar. If the doctor makes an incision into the eardrum (this is called a myringotomy), healing occurs much faster. Otitis media in rare cases spreads to nearby tissues: parotid salivary gland, mastoid process, etc.

Spicy otitis media, depending on the exudate formed as a result of inflammation, it happens:

Serous (catarrhal)

Purulent.

Symptoms of otitis media in children

Symptoms of the course acute illness can be divided into 5 stages.

1. There is a feeling of heaviness and stuffiness in the ear, the temperature is most often normal or elevated due to another disease (ARVI, for example).

2. Serous inflammation of the mucous membrane in the middle ear - the feeling of fullness in the ear increases, sharp pain, the temperature can be up to 38 degrees.

3. Purulent inflammation - pain in the ear becomes tugging and unbearable, radiating to the throat, teeth, eyes. Hearing decreases, temperature can rise above 38 degrees.

4. A rupture occurs in the eardrum, and pus and tissue fluid, often with blood, begins to flow out of the ear. The pain goes away. There remains a feeling of noise and hearing loss.

5. Healing and scarring of the damage to the eardrum occurs. The hearing is slowly starting to return.

Causes of otitis media in children

1. The child is cold, overheated and sweating outside, walking or sitting in a draft without a hat (for example, near a window or in a car with an open window).

2. The main cause of otitis media is ARVI. In children with an inflammatory process in the nasopharynx pathogenic bacteria through the Eustachian (auditory) tube they easily pass into the middle ear. And most often, otitis media in children occurs precisely because of improper treatment of a runny nose or the inability to blow the nose. When nasal congestion occurs, the drainage of the middle ear is disrupted, and as a result, fluid begins to accumulate there and becomes infected. Therefore, when you have a runny nose, it is necessary to promptly use vasoconstrictor drops and restore nasal breathing.

And finally, the mother needs to teach the child to blow his nose correctly - one by one with each nostril, and not both at once - this is how the infection literally “flies” into the middle ear. In infants, sniffles need to be removed in time with an aspirator (or a bulb syringe) to suck out the snot and do not forget about drops from the runny nose.

3. Also, the cause of otitis media in children can be any disease of the ENT organs - sinusitis, pharyngitis, adenoids.

4. Otitis media most often appears in children with weakened immune systems or those who are bottle-fed.

5. Otitis media can also be caused by common infectious diseases eg: influenza, measles, diphtheria, scarlet fever. The infection enters the child’s ear through blood and lymph, that is, hematogenously.

Chronic otitis media

From an acute form, otitis media can become chronic. This is greatly facilitated by frequent runny noses, rickets, deviated nasal septum or adenoids.

Symptoms of chronic otitis media in children

With chronic otitis media, a non-healing hole forms in the eardrum, and pus periodically begins to leak through it. This occurs due to the wave-like course of the inflammatory process. Chronic otitis media is always accompanied by hearing loss.

Internal otitis or labyrinthitis

The inner ear is the most complex part of the ear, located in the temporal bone. This is a hollow bone formation, divided into canals and cavities (bone labyrinth). Therefore, internal otitis is also called labyrinthitis.

The inner ear consists of the following organs:

3 semicircular canals and the vestibule are responsible for coordination of movements and balance, that is, they ensure the functioning of the vestibular apparatus.

Cochlea - which contains sound receptors

Therefore, with inflammation of the inner ear, vestibular changes appear (impaired coordination of movements, balance disorder, dizziness, etc.)

Labyrinthitis is a formidable, but quite rare disease. When the disease is purulent, it can lead to deafness. The main causes of internal otitis in children are: otitis media, meningitis, mumps.

Complications of otitis media

Rupture of the eardrum: this injury takes 4-6 weeks to heal. Therefore, in case of purulent otitis, the doctor usually punctures the eardrum, then it will heal much faster, usually in 2-3 days.

Hearing loss: this condition usually goes away within a few weeks, but prolonged hearing loss may indicate the transition of inflammation from an acute to a chronic form.

Mastoiditis: this is the name for inflammation of the mastoid process (the part of the temporal bone located behind the ears).

Paresis facial nerve;

Meningitis is a rare complication of otitis media

How can you tell if an infant has an earache?

Almost all children in different time suffer from ear pain. But if a 1.5-year-old child is already able to show or even say where it hurts, then it is sometimes quite difficult for the mother of a baby to determine that the cause of the baby’s crying and anxiety is pain in the ear.

The main signs that a child has ear pain:

High-pitched crying, child restlessness, sleep disturbances

Refusal to eat. The baby may try to eat, but after a few sips he begins to cry - the pain in the ear intensifies when swallowing.

The child often touches the sore ear

When pressing on the tragus of the ear, crying and anxiety intensify.

Treatment of otitis in a child at home

If a child has an earache, what can be done urgently?

Medicines for otitis media in children

You can give an antipyretic to children Paracetamol, Nurofen, Efferalgan, Panadol in an age-appropriate dosage, for older children Nimesulide etc. These drugs will reduce inflammation and pain, lower the temperature (if any).

In case of nasal congestion due to otitis media, it is necessary to ensure free breathing - we use any available vasoconstrictor drops: Nazivin, Vibrocil.

How to properly apply ear drops for otitis media in children?

But with ear drops for otitis in children, you need to be extremely careful - they are allowed to be instilled only if there is no damage to the eardrum (there is no discharge from the ear). If there is a perforation in the membrane, drops can flow into the middle ear and cause damage to the auditory nerve and auditory ossicles, which can lead to hearing loss.

Remember that the drops need to be warmed to body temperature - you can warm the bottle with the drops in your hand, or put it in a bowl with warm water. Place the child's head on one side, slightly pull the auricle up and back, and drip ear drops into the ear canal. It’s good if the baby lies for 5 minutes in this position. If the baby doesn’t want to lie still, put some cotton wool in the ear. If a child sucks a pacifier, it must be removed during the procedure.

Drops for otitis media

Combination drugs are usually used for otitis media Otipax And Otirelax, which contain the anti-inflammatory substance phenazone and anesthetic local action lidocaine hydrochloride. For infants, 2 drops should be instilled; for children over two years old, 4 drops should be instilled into the sore ear.

For otitis media, you can also drop drops into the ear:

- Sodium sulfacyl or albucid– antimicrobial and antiviral agent.

- Otofa is an antibacterial drug based on the antibiotic rifamycin, which also helps with otitis externa.

Local treatment of otitis with folk remedies

If otitis media is serous, there is no discharge from the ear (suppuration) and there is no fever, then vodka or semi-alcohol compresses help well.

How to make a compress on the ear for otitis media in children?

You will need:

4-layer gauze approximately 12*12 cm, wax paper (or polyethylene) approximately 1 cm larger than gauze, a piece of cotton wool larger than paper, vodka, camphor, boric or ordinary alcohol (remember, for children under 2 years old for a compress for otitis media) You can only use vodka), warm water.

Make slits for the auricle in gauze and paper. Dilute alcohol with water - 1 part alcohol to 2 parts warm water(there is no need to dilute the vodka), soak gauze in this solution, squeeze it out so it doesn’t drip and place it on the parotid area. Then place wax paper on top of the gauze. The auricle needs to be inserted into the incision on gauze and paper. Then apply cotton wool. Each layer should cover the previous one. Wrap your head in a scarf to secure the compress. You need to keep the compress for 4-6 hours. In very young children, the time to apply a compress for otitis media varies from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

We remind you once again that treatment of otitis media in children is unacceptable without consulting a doctor!

Therefore, at the first opportunity, the mother must take the child to an ENT specialist. After the examination, the doctor will prescribe further treatment, these can include antibiotics, antifungal ointments and antimicrobials, physiotherapeutic procedures, etc. For boils, during external otitis in children, surgical opening of the abscess is sometimes required.

And if a child’s ear is leaking, you should absolutely not use drops or make compresses! It is necessary to close the ear canal with a piece of gauze or bandage and immediately go to the doctor! If treated inadequately, any otitis in children is very dangerous due to serious complications and hearing loss.

During otitis, children cannot be bathed; they can go for a walk only after pain and fever disappear, and be sure to wear a hat. When the ear hurts, take the child in your arms more often - in an upright position, the blood drains from the site of inflammation and the baby feels better. After recovery, it is not recommended to swim in the pool for at least a month.

Prevention of otitis in a child

Breast-feeding

Restoring nasal breathing during a runny nose. During a runny nose, place your baby more often on his tummy or side, and older children on a high pillow. When breastfeeding, it is better to hold the baby almost vertically. These measures prevent the flow of mucus and fluid from the nasopharynx into the auditory tube, and then into the middle ear.

After bathing, it is necessary to wet the child's ears from the water.

In drafts, do not forget to put on a hat for your child - especially for children under 2 years old. But don’t be too fanatical – if the baby’s head is sweating, this can also trigger otitis media.

Children should be taught to blow their nose correctly as early as possible - blowing each nostril one at a time. You should never blow your nose with both nostrils at the same time - this method pushes mucus from the nasopharynx into the middle ear.

Treat carious teeth in a timely manner - caries can become a source of infection and provoke the occurrence of otitis media in a child.

Answers:

Marina

Otitis is an inflammatory disease of the middle ear. With otitis media, inflammation develops in the middle ear cavity and pus accumulates.
Otitis media occurs in all age groups, but is most common in children. In children, frequent otitis occurs due to anatomical features structure of the middle ear: the auditory tube in children is shorter than in adults, it is almost straight and has no bends. This structure of the ear in children makes it easier for infection to enter the middle ear. During the first 3 years of life, up to 80% of children experience otitis media at least once. BUT... necessary correct diagnosis. A two-year-old child cannot correctly describe his condition.
To identify otitis media in children, the following examination methods are used:
Otoscopy, Skull X-ray, Hearing test, Complete blood count
Treatment:
Reducing pain: Paracetamol is prescribed (1 g 4 times a day for adults, for children doses are selected depending on body weight). Otipax ear drops (composition: lidocaine hydrochloride, phenazone, sodium thiosulfate, ethyl alcohol and glycerin) have an analgesic effect. Otipax is instilled into the external auditory canal, 4 drops 2-3 times a day. To reduce pain, a Tsitovich compress is used (a gauze swab is soaked in 3% alcohol solution boric acid and glycerin and inserted into the external auditory canal). This compress can be left in the ear for 3-5 hours.
In order to reduce swelling of the auditory tube and improve the outflow of pus from the middle ear, nasal drops are prescribed: Naphthyzin, Santorin, Tizin, Nazivin. Nazivin is prescribed to children 1-2 drops in each nostril 2-3 times a day.
Antihistamines also contribute to this: Diphenhydramine, Suprastin, Tavegil, Claritin, Telfast. The prescription of antihistamines is recommended only in cases where otitis media develops against the background of allergies.
Antibiotics to suppress middle ear infection.
According to the latest data, the most effective drug in the treatment of acute otitis in children - Amoxicillin (0.25–0.5 g orally three times a day for 10 days). Sometimes a situation arises in which treatment with Amoxicillin does not lead to an improvement in the patient's condition. If there is no effect after three days of treatment with Amoxicillin, the drug should be changed to Augmentin (0.375 or 0.625 g orally two to three times a day) or Cefuroxime (0.25 or 0.5 g orally twice a day).
If the above-mentioned antibacterial agents are intolerant or ineffective, macrolide antibiotics are prescribed (Rulid 0.15 orally twice a day; Spiramycin 1.5 million IU orally twice a day).
For complicated forms of otitis, drugs are prescribed such as: Sparflo 400 mg orally on the first day, then 200 mg per day; Avelox 400 mg orally once a day.
The duration of treatment for otitis should be at least 8-10 days. Even if the patient's condition improves, treatment with antibiotics should be continued. Early discontinuation of antibiotics can lead to relapse (recurrence) of the disease and the development of hearing loss.
Local treatment for otitis. Compresses, hygiene
For otitis, use a warm compress on the ear (a nodule with heated salt), which accelerates the resolution of the inflammatory process. If, after applying a compress, the patient notices increased pain in the ear, the compress should be removed immediately.
It is necessary to independently remove purulent secretions from the ear canal several times a day. For these purposes, you can use cotton swabs.
When cleaning the ear, pull the pinna back and up (for a child - back and down) and carefully insert a cotton swab into the ear canal. The procedure is repeated until the cotton wool remains dry and clean. In case of thick pus, a warm solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide is first poured into the ear canal, after which the ear should be thoroughly dried with a cotton swab. After removing the purulent secretion, a 0.5–1% Dioxidine solution heated to 37°C or Tsipromed ear drops is injected into the ear. For sluggish otitis, you can use tinctures of iodine and lapis (40%).

Otitis in a child: symptoms, treatment, prevention

When a child's ears begin to hurt, even experienced parents can lose self-control from whims and tears. In order to effectively fight the disease, you need to know the enemy, what is called “in the face”, forewarned means forearmed.

What is otitis media?

Otitis media means any inflammation of the ear. There are:

• The outer ear (pinna and external auditory canal to the eardrum) inflammation of which will be otitis externa. Here, boils caused by staphylococci and fungal infections of the ear canal come first.
• The middle ear begins behind the eardrum and includes the tympanic cavity, Eustachian tube, mastoid cells and antrum. Inflammation in this department is called otitis media. This is the most common ear pathology in children.
• Internal otitis is also called labyrinthitis. In this case, the inflammation affects the cochlea, its vestibule or semicircular canals.

Who is guilty?

Otitis media develops against the background of a bacterial (less commonly viral) infection. Most common cause its development is an aggressive streptococcal or staphylococcal flora. Most often, the infection enters the ear cavity through the Eustachian tube, which balances the pressure between the ear and the nasal cavity. Therefore, otitis media is very often the result of a runny nose.

A prerequisite for the development of otitis media is a significant decrease in local immunity in the children's body, children are more susceptible to ear inflammation:

• suffering from rickets (see symptoms and treatment of rickets in infants)
• anemia
• underweight
• chronic pathologies of ENT organs
• exudative diathesis
• Immunodeficiency takes extreme forms in diabetes mellitus, AIDS and leukemia.

But even a child without severe somatic illnesses can become a victim of otitis due to simple hypothermia. The fact is that the external auditory canal of a child, unlike an adult’s, does not have an S-shaped curvature. Therefore, any flow of cold air can provoke otitis in a child; the symptoms of otitis will directly depend on the location of the inflammation.

Manifestations of otitis media

With external otitis, symptoms in children may vary depending on the severity of the process.

The child will also be bothered by fever and intoxication (muscle, joint and headaches, fatigue and weakness).

• In addition to acute otitis media, a chronic inflammatory process can develop, which is divided into exudative otitis media, purulent or adhesive. Exudative and adhesive variants of otitis have mild manifestations in the form of tinnitus (cause) and hearing loss. Adhesive (adhesive) otitis media is the result of proliferation of connective tissue and fibrosis of the tympanic cavity and eardrum.
• With a chronic purulent process, periodic leakage from the ear and persistent hearing loss are observed due to permanent perforation of the eardrum.
• Labyrinthitis is manifested by pain, hearing loss and dizziness (causes), since the balance organ associated with the inner ear is involved in the process.

How to suspect otitis media at home?

Older children may well complain of pain in the ear and even talk about what kind of pain it is and where it goes. It is much more difficult with children under two years old, who still cannot really talk and simply cry in response to pain (including otitis media). Symptoms in infants with this pathology are nonspecific:

• The child’s anxiety may lead to the idea of ​​inflammation of the middle ear
• his unmotivated crying
• refusal of breast or bottle
• Children may also grab their sore ear with their hands.
• turn your head from side to side
• if you press on the tragus of the sore ear, the child’s anxiety or crying increases due to increased pain

If there is any suspicion of otitis, the child should be immediately shown to a pediatrician or ENT doctor.

How does a doctor determine otitis media?

The otolaryngologist has such a simple and convenient device like an ear mirror. With its help, you can see changes in the external auditory canal and eardrum. Thus, otitis media corresponds to changes in the light cone on the eardrum. For the same purpose, the doctor can use an otoscope.

First aid for otitis media

If a visit to the doctor is postponed for objective reasons (although you cannot delay it), and the child is worried and crying, the first thing you need to do if you suspect otitis media is to numb the ear.

For this purpose, you can use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that have the property of suppressing inflammation, temperature and pain. Children are allowed derivatives of paracetamol (Tyled, Calpol, Efferalgan, Panadol, Tylenol), ibuprofen (Nurofen, Ibuklin) and naproxen (Cefekon) - see the review of all antipyretics for children, with dosages and prices. You can use syrup, tablets or rectal suppositories.

The second remedy for otitis media will be ear drops Otipax (170-250 rubles), Otirelax (140 rubles) This combination drug, which contains the anti-inflammatory phenazone and local anesthetic lidocaine hydrochloride. We must remember that Otipax can only be used if the eardrum has not been damaged (the ear is not leaking). For infants, 2 drops are instilled, and for children over two years old, 3-4 drops are instilled into each ear.

How to properly instill drops?

• Before instilling drops, the bottle with them must be warmed to room temperature. In infants, the temperature can be up to 36 degrees. Alternatively, drops are poured from the bottle into a warm spoon and then pipetted.
• The child should be placed with his ear up and the auricle pulled back and down to straighten the ear canal.
• After the drops are instilled, the child is held with his ear up for at least ten minutes so that the medicine does not leak out.
• In children, drops are instilled into both ears, since the process is usually bilateral.
• If a baby is sucking on a pacifier, it should be removed before the drops are instilled. In combination with a stuffy nose, a pacifier can cause barotrauma to the eardrum.

Treatment of external otitis

Furuncle of the external ear ( purulent otitis media) is treated by classic scheme. At the stage of infiltration (before the formation of the rod) with anti-inflammatory drugs and alcohol compresses for the purpose of resorption. After the rod is formed, surgical opening of the abscess with drainage of the cavity, rinsing with Hydrogen Peroxide or Chlorhexidine, Miramistin and subsequent ointment dressings with levomekol until the wound is completely healed. In case of intoxication, high temperature, lymphadenitis, antibiotics are added.

Fungal infections of the ear canal are treated antifungal ointments(clotrimazole, Candida, fluconazole) if necessary, systemic antifungal agents in tablets (amphotericin, griseofulvin, mycosist). As a rule, systemic antifungal agents are not used in children under two years of age.

Treatment of otitis media

For the youngest, preference is given to local treatment. For them, systemic antibiotics are too heavy a burden on their immune system and intestines (see list of probiotics, Linex analogues). Therefore, very strict indications are given for antibiotics:

• hyperthermia within three days from the start of local therapy
• severe intoxication
• poorly controlled pain that prevents the child from sleeping and eating normally

Drops in the ears are used in a course for seven to ten days. During this period, the child must be examined by an otolaryngologist to ensure the positive dynamics of inflammation or to adjust treatment if the result is unsatisfactory.

For older children (from two years old), therapy also begins with ear drops, supplemented with anti-inflammatory drugs (see First aid for otitis media).

A prerequisite for treating otitis media is getting rid of a runny nose. There are risks to untreated rhinitis re-development inflammation of the middle ear. For this purpose, antiviral (interferon), antibacterial (drops - isofra, polydex, protorgol) and combined (vibrocil) drops are used.

• Drops in the ears

- Otipax combines anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
- Sulfacyl sodium (albucid) is a universal antimicrobial and antiviral agent.
- Otofa– an antibacterial drug based on the antibiotic rifamycin.
Albucid and Otofa are not contraindicated in cases of perforation of the eardrum.
- Polydexa- children over two and a half years old have the opportunity to use polydexa (a combination of the antibiotics neomycin and polymyxin with the addition of the hormonal anti-inflammatory dexamethasone).

The course of treatment lasts from seven to ten days. During this time, it is quite possible to cure uncomplicated catarrhal otitis media in a child. Treatment should be prescribed and monitored by an ENT doctor.

• Antibiotics in tablets, suspensions or injections

Requirements for these drugs: safety, non-toxicity, achieving sufficient concentrations at the site of inflammation, maintaining therapeutic doses for a long time (at least eight hours for a comfortable frequency of doses per day). The duration of antibiotic therapy is seven days, except for drugs that can accumulate and maintain therapeutic concentrations in the blood for a week or ten days (for example, azithromycin, which is prescribed for three to five days).

• Penicillins. Semi-synthetic (oxacillin, amoxicillin, flemoxin, ampicillin, carbenicillin) and inhibitor-protected ones are preferred, allowing them to resist resistant strains microbes (amoxiclav, flemoclav, augmentin, unasin, sultamicillin, ampixid).
• Cephalosporins of the second (cefuroxime, cefaclor), third (ceftibuten, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, cefazidime) and fourth (cefepime) generations.
• Macrolides are currently replacing cephalosporins. More convenient in dosage, course duration and administration forms (tablets, suspension). Treatment of otitis media in children is carried out with azithromycin (azithral, ​​sumamed, hemomycin), clarithromycin.
• Aminoglycosides are the drugs of choice if there is staphylococcal purulent otitis in a child. Treatment with kanamycin, gentamicin, sisomycin, amikacin is carried out mainly in an inpatient setting due to nephrotoxicity.

Features of antibiotic therapy in children include the refusal to use fluoroquinolones, since they are contraindicated in children under 18 years of age, and also in order to reduce the number of antibiotic-resistant infections.

On the issue of antihistamines

Classic treatment regimens for otitis media involve the prescription of antihistamines to reduce the allergic component of inflammation and reduce swelling. Second- and third-generation drugs that do not cause drowsiness or have minimal sedative effect are recommended: claritin, desloratadine, loratadine, clarisens, cetirizine, ketotifen (see allergy medications).

However, today a number of specialists (primarily American, who conducted selective clinical researches involving pediatric patients) believes that the use of this group of drugs for otitis media is inappropriate, since no direct relationship has been identified between their use and the rate of recovery from the disease. Today, the question remains open, since there are still no full-fledged standards for the treatment of acute otitis in children.

Treatment of labyrinthitis

Since the process can easily be complicated by meningeal inflammation, sepsis and even disorders cerebral circulation, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting. Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and dehydrating drugs are used. Performed if necessary surgical intervention.

Treatment of otitis media with folk remedies

Traditional methods of treating otitis in children are quite diverse, but it should be noted that turning a child into a testing ground for experiments is inhumane and reckless. Of course, in field conditions, when a doctor and pharmacy are unavailable, a person will resort to any available means to relieve the pain and suffering of a child. Therefore, we will focus on the most adequate and less harmful for children's health folk remedies to combat otitis (ear inflammation).

Otitis externa, which occurs in the form of a boil in the infiltration stage (with a reddened tubercle without a purulent core), as well as catarrhal otitis media in children, can be treated with folk remedies. You can use a vodka or alcohol compress or lotions:

• boric, camphor alcohol or vodka are applied to a gauze pad, which is applied to the ear area
• plastic film or wax paper is placed on top
• the bandage is strengthened with a handkerchief or scarf
• exposure time from 15 to 30 minutes (than younger child, the shorter the procedure time)
• decently resolves infiltrates and iodine
• aloe leaves are also used, cutting them in half and applying a cut of the leaf to the abscess

No warming procedures for otitis media are acceptable. Treatment with alcohol-containing solutions is strictly prohibited in children under one year of age, even for external use. In older children it is also not advisable; it is especially contraindicated to use it as a compress. medical alcohol undiluted. It is better to use camphor, boric alcohols or vodka. Instilling boric or camphor alcohol into the ear is acceptable, but only in children over 6 years old - no more than 2 drops.

In case of fungal infection of the ear canal, people use wiping it with a soda solution (not to be confused with instillation or rinsing). Soda creates an alkaline environment in which fungi do not reproduce well, but it is not able to completely cure a fungal infection.

Sollux (blue lamp) is a thermal procedure indicated for non-purulent otitis media. However, in everyday life it is difficult to distinguish non-purulent otitis from purulent, especially since bacterial infection can't be reheated. Therefore, any traditional methods should be agreed upon with the treating pediatrician.

Prevention of otitis

• Rational ear hygiene. It is unacceptable to clean a child’s ears with improvised means or to penetrate deep into the ear canal.
• After bathing, the child needs to shake out or blot the water from the ear.
• Children under one year old should not be exposed to drafts without hats covering their ears.
• It is necessary to promptly and fully treat all diseases of the ENT organs (tonsillitis, tonsillitis, rhinitis, pharyngitis). Bilateral otitis in a child often develops against the background of a runny nose.

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What are the signs of otitis media in children? Even the beginning stage is of interest to you...?

Answers:

Celice

Of course, you need to see an ENT specialist as soon as possible, he will examine the child and prescribe treatment. Otipax drops helped us at one time, the pain subsided after them, alcohol compresses were applied to the nose for 5-6 days in a row, although I slept more or less peacefully. Well, antibiotics, otitis media, along with sore throat, and we love the inflammatory process, is treated with antibiotics.

elly

My first complaint was ear pain.

Juliette, but not Capuleti

The main symptom of otitis, of course, is sharp pain in the ear. If you feel pain that increases gradually and begins to intensify in the evening, has a pulsating, aching, shooting character, and also radiates to various areas of the head, including the teeth, then you probably have otitis media. This pain is worse when swallowing, coughing or sneezing. You will also experience other unpleasant signs of otitis media - noise in the ear, congestion in it, as well as decreased hearing.

Another symptom of otitis is an increase in body temperature to 39ºС, although it may be within the normal range. With otitis, nonspecific symptoms are weakness and loss of appetite. I call them nonspecific because such symptoms are also inherent in many other diseases.

During the development of complications, when purulent processes melt the eardrum, a person develops discharge from the ear, which is of a different nature (serous, purulent or bloody). The flow of pus out is a symptom of a ruptured eardrum. But, I want to note that there is another option, when pus breaks through into the bone tissue and mastoiditis develops, in which urgent surgical intervention is simply necessary. Complications such as brain abscess or inflammation of its membranes may also develop. Therefore, if you notice any signs of otitis in yourself or your child, you should definitely contact an otolaryngologist (ENT doctor), who will prescribe the necessary treatment.

Polina Romanova

This is terrible pain! fever, hearing loss, otitis media are treated in the first hours. I had otitis media when I was 3 years old, unfortunately, they couldn’t save my right ear, they managed to save my left ear, and even then I can’t hear 100%. If you think that your child has otitis media, do not hesitate to see a good experienced ENT specialist.

Kati

turns his head, cries, when pressing on the tragus - pain

Liliya Chudinova (Tikhonova)

Press around the ear and watch the reaction. if it hurts, he’ll let you know, that means otitis media, but in general, go to the doctor tomorrow, see an ENT specialist

Svetlana Petrenko

my daughter had purulent otitis media when she was 2.5 years old (she caught a cold in kindergarten), she had surgery (the pus was sucked out of her ear using devices). Firstly, if your child is susceptible to a sore throat or runny nose, then otitis media may begin at any time of the disease. Secondly: lightly press your finger on the child's ear (not on the sink), if he begins to have otitis media, he will cry. Thirdly: the child sleeps restlessly and rubs his sore ear. But if the disease has already set in, then there is a fever and discharge from the ear. It is better to check with an ENT specialist more often, because the child is small, he cannot tell what is hurting. It’s better to go to the doctor’s office one more time, so you don’t have to suffer like we did. Our daughter is 12 years old and we have been suffering ever since: chronic tanzelitis (throat), sinusitis (nose). The doctors did not make a diagnosis in time.

Signs of otitis in children, treatment of otitis in children

Purulent or acute otitis media It occurs very often in children. If you pay attention to the symptoms of the disease in time, consult a doctor and undergo the necessary course of treatment, there will not be very serious consequences and complications. With timely treatment, otitis media disappears in infants without a trace. Acute otitis is an inflammatory process in the middle, external or inner ear. Why do children get otitis media more often than adults? This is due to the characteristics of the child’s body, the infection easily penetrates from the nasopharynx and spreads to the ear, the child has a short eustachian tube that connects the middle ear and nasopharynx.

Causes of otitis media in children

1. Due to the fact that children have a special structure of the Eustachian tube.

2. As a complication of a cold.

3. The infection can multiply in the nasopharynx, then begins to spread to the auditory tube, then it can enter the ear, which can cause infection.

4. Acute otitis media occurs after the child is severely hypothermic, has been in the cold for a long time, after taking a bath, if the baby is exposed to a draft, or if the person is overheated.

5. With reduced immunity. Children who get sick often do not have protective function, they often suffer from colds, which causes them to develop otitis media.

6. In children under one year of age, otitis may occur due to an inadequate diet.

Signs of otitis media in children

1. In infants, otitis may appear sharply and suddenly. In a short period of time, the child may become ill, he may be whiny, or wake up at night due to severe pain in the ear. Otitis on both sides can cause discomfort, and pain occurs simultaneously.

2. Body temperature rises to 40 degrees, the baby is constantly anxious, he has problems with sleep and appetite.

3. A feature of a child’s illness is that he cannot say what is bothering him. That’s why it’s so important to monitor your baby and recognize the symptoms of otitis media. The fact that the baby has an earache is indicated by the fact that he begins to touch it with his hands and cry a lot when his mother touches him.

4. Children may shake their heads, try to rub their ear on the pillow, cannot fall asleep, and try to lie on one side. In cases where otitis is considered unilateral.

5. The occurrence of nausea.

6. The appearance of abdominal pain.

7. A very severe headache occurs.

8. The child’s body is exposed to intoxication.

9. The child may have intestinal upset.

10. The baby has difficulty breathing.

11. A child may refuse to eat because it is very painful for him to swallow.

12. The baby quickly undergoes mood swings, he is lethargic, and his consciousness is inhibited.

13. Vomiting may occur.

If you think your baby has ear infection, you can test by pressing on the cartilage and closing the ear canal. In cases of inflammation, the pain after pressure begins to intensify.

Treatment of otitis media in children

If you have any suspicions about purulent otitis, be sure to consult a pediatric otolaryngologist; it is best to call a doctor home. Otitis media is best treated by medication. Self-medication is not recommended; it can cause deafness.

To bring down the temperature and relieve pain, your doctor may prescribe children's paracetamol or drops that have an analgesic effect. Antibacterial agents can also be used; very rarely, if there is a lot of pus behind the eardrum, surgical intervention may be required.

Despite the fact that childhood otitis media is a common disease, it should not be considered safe and mild. If the disease is neglected, very serious complications can occur. That's why it's so important to pay attention to prophylactic agents against otitis:

1. Do not overcool or overheat the baby.

2. Monitor the child’s diet.

3. Strengthen the immune system to protect the baby from various colds.

Prevention of otitis in a child

If your child has recurring otitis media, you need to take necessary measures, for this it is necessary to reduce the frequency of the disease so that the inflammation in the middle ear does not become severe. To do this you need:

1. Breastfeed as long as possible; children are breastfeeding very rarely suffer from otitis media.

2. Actively combat the allergen; they can produce fluid, which is a breeding ground for bacteria and other harmful microorganisms, and it can get into the middle ear. Most often, a child is bothered by nasal or respiratory allergies - dust, animal hair and tobacco smoke.

3. It is very important to empty the baby’s room of soft toys and carry out wet cleaning.

4. Remember that food allergies can lead to otitis media, especially to dairy products.

5. Pay attention to the environment your child is in. If he constantly communicates with cold children and catches respiratory infections in kindergartens, it might be worth transferring the child to another group, where there will be fewer people, or to a place where the teacher strictly monitors where the sick child is and where the healthy one is, and sends the sick ones home.

6. It is very important to feed your infant in an upright position.

How can you prevent the occurrence of otitis media in a child?

2. Do not allow your child to come into contact with allergens.

3. Try to ensure that your child does not have contact with sick children.

4. Do not start colds and ARVI.

5. Clean your baby's nasal passages

6. Regularly, for preventive purposes, take your child for examination to an ENT doctor.

So, otitis in children is a very serious disease, which is why it is so important to prevent it in time. Monitor the symptoms carefully; if the child complains of pain in the ear area, immediately consult a doctor. It is very important to remember preventive methods to prevent your baby from getting otitis media; follow all the recommendations that will help you strengthen your child’s immunity.

medportal.su

Acute otitis in children: how to treat?

Inflammation of the ear canals is a disease that often affects children. This all happens for the simple reason that babies have a slightly different ear structure than adults. Children's aisles are wider and shorter. The infection moves freely through them. In this article we will tell you about how to treat otitis media in a child. You will learn about basic medications. You can also find out information about additional medications that speed up recovery.

Otitis in children

If your baby has suffered an ear infection once, then you can prepare for the fact that this situation will happen again. Experienced mothers already know how to treat otitis media in a child. However, it is still better to contact an otolaryngologist in every case. Only a doctor can perform a correct and thorough examination internal cavity ear. Also, if necessary, a specialist will take the material for research.

Otitis in children is often accompanied by the most unpleasant symptoms. These include: increased body temperature, pain, lumbago, burning and itching in the ear. Often, an additional sign of illness is a runny nose. In the purulent form of acute otitis, fluid is released from the ears. It is worth noting that acute otitis media is much more severe than chronic otitis media. However, it is safer in terms of consequences.

Otitis in children: how to treat?

How to correct the problem? See your doctor first. The doctor will carefully study your clinical picture and conduct an examination. Also, when prescribing therapy, the specialist will definitely take into account the facts of pre-existing ear diseases and intolerance to any medications.

If otitis occurs in children, how to treat the disease? All remedies can be divided into folk and conservative. The latter, in turn, are divided into drugs for oral administration And local use. In particularly severe cases, otorhinolaryngologists use surgical skills. It is worth noting that, unlike other specialists, an ENT doctor can perform a minor operation on his own. Let's consider how long to treat otitis media in a child, and what medications should be used.

Antipyretics and pain relievers

If otitis occurs in children, how to treat it? The first aid you can give to your baby is to use medications to relieve fever and pain. During acute otitis, the child feels discomfort in the ear. His hearing decreases, noises appear, and most importantly, the baby feels lumbago, which causes severe pain. Most children begin to sleep poorly, their appetite decreases, and they become whiners.

To provide first aid to your baby, give him medicine. These may be drugs based on ibuprofen, paracetamol or analgin. Children over 12 years of age can be offered aspirin. Most popular trade names the indicated remedies are the following: “Nurofen”, “Paracetamol”, “Ibufen”, “Panadol”, “Cefekon”, “Analdim” and many others. Be sure to calculate the dosage of the medicine correctly. It always depends on the age and body weight of the child.

Antibacterial compounds

Don’t know how to treat otitis media in a child? Most domestic doctors always prescribe antibacterial therapy when this problem occurs. Its effectiveness is considered maximum. However, such drugs have a lot side effects. And, for example, in Europe they are treated very warily. Foreign doctors more often use expectant therapy. If the child does not feel better within three days, then only after that the issue of using antibiotics is decided.

Of the antibacterial agents, amoxicillin-based formulations are most often prescribed. This could be Flemoxin, Augmentin or Amoxiclav. They are recognized as the most harmless, but they effectively cope with otitis media. If the child has previously taken similar medications, but they did not help him, then it is advisable to prescribe cephalosporin antibiotics. These include: “Ceftriaxone”, “Cefatoxime”, “Suprax” and others. They are quite serious drugs that have proven themselves to be good in the fight against ear inflammation. Less commonly prescribed drugs are Amoxicillin, Sumamed, Clarithromycin, and so on. The duration of use of the drugs can range from three days to several weeks.

Antiviral agents and compounds to enhance immunity

How to treat otitis media in a child? It is rare, but it happens that the disease is caused by a virus. In this case, no antibiotics will help eliminate the problem. The child needs antivirals. In some cases, they are also prescribed for bacterial infections, since such medications can also enhance immunity.

The most popular are formulations with interferon or its inducers. This could be “Anaferon”, “Ergoferon”, “Viferon”, “Kipferon” or “Cycloferon”. Doctors often prescribe Isoprinosine, Lykopid and similar drugs to children. However, they should not be consumed without a doctor's recommendation. Before using them, you should definitely consult your doctor. The duration of the course is determined individually.

Antihistamines and their effectiveness in the treatment of otitis media

We continue to consider how to treat otitis media in a child. In most cases, the inflammatory process begins because the Eustachian tube narrows due to swelling. It turns out that the ear simply cannot be ventilated. Because of this, the inflammatory process develops. Antihistamines will help relieve swelling. Not all of them are allowed for children of the first year of life. Be sure to read the instructions before use. Doctors usually use the following means: “Zirtek”, “Zodak”, “Tavegil”, “Fenistil” and others.

It is worth noting that the medications described will only give effect in combination with general therapy. They are not able to eliminate otitis media on their own.

Medicines for injection into the ears

How to treat otitis media in children? Komarovsky says that an acute inflammatory process in the ear is a reason to use drops. They may contain anti-inflammatory, analgesic or antibacterial components. The most frequently recommended products are: “Otipax”, “Otinum”, “Otirelax” and so on. They all contain an anesthetic that relieves pain. However, some doctors are wary of such drugs. Doctors report that pain can be relieved using the medications described above. It is better to use drops such as “Dioxidin” and “Otofa” to directly treat the ear. They contain an antibiotic that will help quickly relieve the inflammatory process.

It is worth noting that some drops for introduction into the ear canal require the intact integrity of the eardrum. If it is damaged, then the use of such means can lead to quite serious consequences in future.

Preparations for the treatment of the nose: a prerequisite

If otitis media appears in children, how to treat the pathology? Most inflammation of the eardrum is accompanied by a runny nose. This symptom also needs to be eliminated. Otherwise, after recovery, bacteria will again enter the ear canal. Treatment of a runny nose with otitis media involves the use of vasoconstrictor and antimicrobial compounds. Medicines based on xylometazaline are very popular. The doctor may prescribe Snoop, Nazivin, Vibrocil or Tizin. For particularly serious problems, corticosteroids are recommended (Avamys, Tafen, Nasonex). Such medications cannot be used for a long time. This can lead to atrophic rhinitis.

Among the antimicrobial compositions for the treatment of the nose, one can distinguish such as “Polydexa”, “Isofra”, “Pinosol”, and also “Dioxidin”. It is worth noting that rinsing the sinuses during otitis media is strictly prohibited. This can only aggravate the situation and lead to complications.

Piercing the eardrum and cleaning it

How to properly treat otitis media in a child? If the problem does not go away after using the described remedies or the baby is in short time becomes worse, it is advisable to puncture the eardrum. This manipulation is called myringotomy. It is performed without additional anesthesia. The doctor, using an appropriate instrument, makes a small incision, after which the accumulated fluid and pus come out.

The resulting material should be sent for testing to determine sensitivity to antibiotics. After the results are obtained, the otorhinolaryngologist can high accuracy prescribe the appropriate drug.

Tube Application: Drainage

How to treat otitis media in a 3-year-old child if the situation recurs constantly? After all, it is in children of this age that the recurrence of the described disease is very high. A specialist may suggest that you use surgical methods and insert a small tube into the eardrum. This part will allow the liquid not to accumulate, but to come out. As a result, the inflammatory process will not appear. This method is often used for chronic otitis media, which recur more than 10 times a year and are difficult to treat with antibiotics. The procedure is called tympanostomy. The drainage can remain in the child’s ear for as long as the doctor deems necessary.

Traditional methods of treatment

How to treat purulent otitis media in children? Our grandmothers often advise using heating. Doctors report that this can be very dangerous. Under the influence of heat, the inflammatory process can only worsen. Traditional methods of treatment are as follows:

• Take camphor oil and heat it slightly. Soak a swab in it, then insert it into your ear. Put on a tight bandage and warm the inflamed part for two hours.
• Hydrogen peroxide has always been used for the treatment and prevention of otitis media. Place a few drops of the drug into the damaged ear, then use cotton swab Clean the sink carefully.
• Take boric alcohol and hold it in your palms to warm it up. After this, insert two drops into each ear canal. The drug will help kill pathogens. However, you must remember that this method cannot be used if the eardrum is damaged.
• Heat a handful of salt in a frying pan. After this, put the loose mass in a sock and apply it to the sore ear. Leave for half an hour and remove the heat compress.

Instead of a conclusion

After reading the article, you learned how to treat otitis media in a 3-year-old child or at another age. Remember that this is a very insidious disease. You should not stop taking prescribed medications as soon as you feel better. This practice can lead to increased resistance of microorganisms to drugs. Be sure to complete your prescribed course of medication.

Try never to self-medicate. Remember that timely consultation with a doctor is the key to a successful outcome. Use the services of specialists and always be healthy!

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Treatment and prevention of otitis in children

Almost every child under 3 years of age experiences otitis media. Therefore, any parent should have complete information about what to do in case of otitis in children, treatment with which drugs will help to quickly get rid of the disease.

What is ear inflammation?

Otitis media is inflammation of the ear. In medicine, it is customary to distinguish several types of ear inflammation:

1. Inner part. The cochlea, its vestibule or semicircular canal are affected.
2. Middle part. The eardrum is affected along with the Eustachian tube and antrum. This type is diagnosed in most cases in children.
3. Outer part. The cause of development is staphylococcal and fungal infections, which cause the formation of boils that cause inflammation in the ear.

Most often, the doctor makes a diagnosis of unilateral ear inflammation, but variants of bilateral otitis media are also noted. According to medical statistics, a child develops inflammation of the middle ear, which occurs in several stages.

In the first stage, the auditory tube becomes inflamed and the pressure on the eardrum changes. Gradually, inflammation affects the middle ear, which leads to the formation of inflammatory fluid - exudate. This stage in medicine is usually called catarrhal, exudative (or secretory otitis).

At the second stage, purulent otitis media begins to develop. An infection occurs that causes the formation of pus in the middle ear. Upon reaching maximum quantity This pus in the ear causes the eardrum to rupture. This makes the child’s condition easier, his temperature decreases, and pain decreases. Special attention should pay attention to the course of catarrhal otitis in children under 2 years of age. Due to their anatomical features, their purulent form can develop within 24 hours.

The third stage is recovery. The eardrum gradually recovers and resumes normal function ear.

What causes otitis media in children?

These may be the following factors:

1. Children suffer from ear inflammation more often than adults due to the anatomical features of the auditory tube. It is much shorter, so the infection very quickly penetrates from the nasopharynx to the ear.
2. Frequent acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, and bronchitis weaken the immune system and lead to otitis complications if not treated in a timely manner.
3. A common cause is a runny nose. Since air ventilation is limited, mucus stagnates in the nasopharynx, creating a breeding ground for the proliferation of pathogenic flora, which causes ear inflammation.
4. Otitis in newborns is caused by amniotic fluid that enters the nose during childbirth.
5. Hereditary predisposition.

Manifestations of otitis in children

All symptoms of the disease will depend on the type of otitis media and the severity of the disease.

With external inflammation, the ear canal acquires a reddish tint, and a small tubercle is formed at the site of the future boil, the color of which will change from red to bluish. The pain will be localized, only at the site of formation of the purulent core.

There are many cases of inflammation and boil formation in the ear canal. This causes problems with the discharge of secretions.

Also, otitis externa is accompanied by swelling of the ear canal, the lymph nodes near the ear become enlarged, and children complain of pain when chewing and swallowing. The temperature may rise and chills may appear.

With inflammation of the middle ear, pressing, shooting pain, high temperature, and nasal congestion are felt. Some children grind their teeth when experiencing pain.

At the initial stage of otitis media, children begin to sleep poorly, toss and turn in their sleep, turn their heads, and press the sore ear to the pillow. These are the first signals that should alert any parent.

The right help is the key to a quick recovery

Treatment of otitis in children should begin with conservative method, in difficult cases - from surgery.

To cure otitis media, you need to start by taking antibiotics. This will help avoid further complications. The drug itself can be in the form of tablets or suspensions or injections. It all depends on the age of the patient and the chosen treatment regimen.

Considering that all antibiotics in childhood have a destructive effect on the intestinal microflora, it is definitely recommended to take probiotics or bifidobacteria, vitamin complexes.

The course of treatment includes drops containing 3% boric acid. The drops must be heated to be inserted into the ear. Instill in each ear one at a time and leave your head on your side for up to 5 minutes. Then the instilled ear is closed with a cotton swab, and the same manipulations are performed with the second ear.

The nose should also be treated at the same time. For this purpose, vasoconstrictor potassium is prescribed, which makes it possible to maintain the nose in order and neutralize mucus as a source for the proliferation of bacteria.

For children under 4 years of age, it is important to perform mechanical cleaning of the nasal passages. To do this, you need to use cotton or gauze pads, irrigate your nose with saline or soda solutions. For treatment, it is necessary to inject 5 ml of solution into each nostril, for prevention - 1 pipette.

In order to relieve fever and pain, in case of inflammation, children can be given paracetamol, Nurofen, Panadol; suppositories are best for infants.

To prepare a compress, you need to take gauze or a wide bandage, fold it in several layers (up to 10), moisten it in the prepared solution and apply it to the sore ear. At purulent inflammations gauze bandages are placed on the parotid area.

Almost all compresses can be kept for up to 2 hours or all night.

When the patient's temperature stops rising, warming can be performed. To do this, take a linen bag, put heated salt in it, and apply it to the auricle. The blue lamp works well when warming up.

Despite the fact that purulent otitis media can cause serious complications, with proper therapeutic intervention you can quickly get rid of the disease itself.

Purulent discharge from the ear must be removed correctly and in a timely manner, since they are the cause of complications. To do this, use sterile wipes to blot the accumulated pus at the entrance to the ear canal. Since the child feels pain even when touching the ear, it is not advisable to clean with hard objects. This can cause mechanical damage to the eardrum.

Basically, all pus extraction procedures are performed by a doctor or nurse. If it happens that inflammation leads to hearing loss, then pneumomassage and blowing of the eardrum are prescribed.

In cases where it is impossible to remove pus through therapeutic means, surgical intervention is performed.

Prevention of otitis in children

After the child’s recovery, it is necessary first of all to take care of the correct and balanced diet, introducing vitamin complexes to strengthen the immune system. That is, it is needed proper prevention otitis in children.

To prevent repeated manifestations of ear inflammation, it is recommended to visit specialized sanatoriums and resorts along the Black Sea coast.

It is very important to teach your child to blow his nose correctly. You must first clean one nostril, then the other, while pinching one of the passages with your finger.

Cleansing procedures for the nose must be performed every day, this will ensure good ventilation of the passages.

How to treat otitis media? What medications should I choose for my child? Only a specialist can answer these questions, but with a proper understanding of the disease itself and its consequences, every parent will be able to help their child recover quickly and forget about painful symptoms.

• Which doctors should you contact if you have Acute Otitis Media in Children?

What is Acute otitis media in children

Acute otitis media- inflammation of the middle ear (tympanic cavity, auditory tube and system of air cells of the mastoid process).

Prevalence. This is one of the most common diseases in pediatric practice, accounting for about a quarter of all ear diseases. Before the age of 1 year, every 2nd child develops acute otitis media; Before 3 years of age, 90% of children have suffered acute inflammation of the middle ear at least once.

Many children develop acute otitis media more than once; during the course of a year of life, 20% of children experienced the inflammatory process three times.

What causes Acute otitis media in children

Acute otitis media can be of bacterial origin. Correct orientation in the rather diverse microbial landscape of the contents of the middle ear is very important. When prescribing therapy, you should know the activity of various antibacterial drugs against the most common pathogens. Frequent seeding of antibiotic-resistant strains must be considered. The microflora in acute otitis media is quite diverse, but the coccal flora predominates. Typical picture of microflora in acute otitis media: Streptococcus pneumoniae - 32%, Haemophilus influenzae - 22%, Moraxella catarhalis - 16%, Streptococcus heamoliticus - 2%, sterile culture (non-pathogenic microorganisms) - 25%.

A certain role is assigned to viral, especially adenoviral infection. The virus is most often detected when acute otitis media occurs in a child during an epidemic outbreak of influenza.

Otitis media can also be caused by a fungal infection.

Several years ago, when children were vaccinated with an oral vaccine against tuberculosis, peculiar BCG otitises with a characteristic sluggish course, normal temperature and the formation of granulations in the ear were quite often observed.

Pathogenesis (what happens?) during Acute otitis media in children

The disease occurs more often in childhood, or rather infancy and early childhood, due to the influence of local and general factors.

General factors: childhood infectious diseases (ARVI, scarlet fever, diphtheria, measles), including adenoviral and fungal diseases; insufficiency of natural immunity; the occurrence of otitis media during childbirth, in early period newborns and even in utero, when infection occurs due to an inflammatory disease in the mother (pyelonephritis, endometritis, mastitis), the development of otitis contributes long labor, anhydrous period of more than 6 hours, fetal asphyxia; nutrition factor (with artificial feeding, a child’s risk of getting sick is 2.5 times higher); allergies, exudative diathesis. About a quarter of children with acute otitis media have a positive allergy history, with food allergies predominating; hereditary factor; pathology of the bronchopulmonary system.

Local factors. Myxoid tissue in the middle ear at birth provides a very good breeding ground for microorganisms and, as a result, is easily subject to inflammation. Sometimes myxoid tissue covers tympanic hole auditory tube, preventing the outflow of pus and worsening the course of acute otitis media.

Features of the child's auditory tube. It is much shorter and wider than that of an adult. There are usually no bends. The position of the tube in relation to the nasopharynx is horizontal; it can constantly gape. The function of the ciliated epithelium during inflammation is quickly disrupted. Through the auditory tube, infection penetrates from the nasopharynx into the tympanic cavity much more often and more easily than in adults.

The condition and anatomical and topographical relationships of the nasopharynx in children have their own characteristics. First of all, in children there is hypertrophy of the nasopharyngeal tonsil (adenoids) and tubal ridges. Hypertrophied adenoids, which can appear in newborns, although they reach maximum development by 3-5 years, serve as the main source of infection at the onset of the disease and contribute to a protracted process due to deterioration of the outflow from the tympanic cavity.

Microcirculation in the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx is disrupted due to the constant position of infants on their backs.

Often acute inflammatory diseases nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, sore throats and pharyngitis.

Pathways for infection to enter the middle ear. Pathogens most often enter the tympanic cavity from the nasopharynx through the auditory tube. Features of the auditory tube in childhood are described above. Frequent rhinopharyngitis, adenoid vegetations, hypertrophy of the tubal tonsils, dysfunction of the auditory tube, enlargement of the posterior ends of the turbinates, choanal atresia temporarily or permanently make nasal breathing difficult, as a result of which children often suffer from acute otitis media.

Infection from the external auditory canal is less common; this is only possible with injury or perforation of the eardrum. Prevention of acute otitis media by covering the ears with cotton wool or a warm hat is essentially meaningless, just like the expression “the ear is blown.”

The hematogenous route is rarely implemented, mainly in severe viral diseases or sepsis.

Symptoms of Acute otitis media in children

In the classic course of acute inflammation of the middle ear, 3 stages are distinguished: I - initial development process, II - after the onset of perforation of the eardrum and III - recovery. Each of them lasts approximately 1 week.

At stage I, pain, high body temperature, decreased hearing appear, and otoscopy reveals hyperemia of the eardrum. General intoxication and a reaction of the mastoid periosteum are noted.

At stage II, after the onset of perforation of the eardrum, the symptoms change: spontaneous pain decreases, temperature and intoxication decrease, discharge from the ear appears, perforation of the eardrum is determined by otoscopy, and hearing loss persists.

At stage III, the temperature normalizes, intoxication disappears, there is no pain, discharge stops, the perforation closes and scars, and hearing is restored.

Rapidly occurring acute otitis media is not uncommon, when within several hours, against the background of severe pain, high body temperature and severe intoxication, exudate quickly forms with the onset of perforation of the eardrum and suppuration.

Sometimes in these cases it seems that stage I is completely absent; the child immediately develops pus from the ear. This course is usually associated with high virulence of the pathogen. The rapid course of the process stops with the prescription of large doses of antibiotics, preferably broad-spectrum (amoxicillin).

The disease is usually severe, accompanied by severe pain, high fever, and intoxication.

Often acute otitis media in a child begins suddenly at night; parents contact the nearest nursery medical institution; primary diagnosis Pediatricians are forced to provide first aid.

Diagnosis of Acute otitis media in children

Correct diagnosis and rational treatment literally in the first hours are extremely important for the further course of the disease; they can interrupt the rapid course, prevent hearing loss and even severe, in particular intracranial, complications.

Symptoms are extremely varied and largely depend on the age of the child. Starting from school age, symptoms are practically no different from those in adults. The course of the disease in newborns and infants, in early and preschool age is very different. In this regard, we provide their separate description.

Decisive for diagnosis is the appearance of discharge (otorrhea) upon the occurrence of perforation of the eardrum or during its paracentesis (incision). The absence of discharge after paracentesis does not definitively indicate the absence of an inflammatory process in the tympanic cavity, since sometimes exudate has not yet had time to form by this time.

Features of the diagnosis of acute otitis media in newborns, infants and young children. A very important role for diagnosis at this age is played by the anamnesis collected from the mother.

When interviewing, you should pay attention to the course of pregnancy and childbirth (prolonged, birth trauma), and full term. Find out information about admission medicines, alcohol, smoking, ear disease in the mother, administration of ototoxic drugs, previous viral diseases, at what stage of pregnancy, what was feeding; the question should be asked about what caused the child’s condition to worsen. Ear disease is often preceded by acute rhinitis With heavy discharge from the nose, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal disorders, sometimes trauma (falling out of bed), allergic diseases. The leading symptom of acute inflammation of the middle ear is severe, often sudden spontaneous pain. It is associated with the rapid accumulation of exudate in the tympanic cavity and pressure on the ends trigeminal nerve, innervating the mucous membrane.

A child's reaction to pain is expressed differently and depends on his age. Until 5-6 months, the child cannot yet determine the location of the pain and the affected side. He reacts to pain with a cry, a pendulum-like shaking of his head, reminiscent of prayer movements.

Rocking in the arms does not help; the child refuses to breastfeed, since when sucking, movements in the joint of the lower jaw are easily transmitted to the walls of the external auditory canal and the tympanic cavity. Sometimes the baby prefers to take the breast opposite the sore ear. When the sore ear is at the bottom, the pain subsides slightly.

The preferred position of the head in bed on the painful side is also associated with this; apparently, the warmth from the pillow also somewhat reduces pain.

A very common and popular method for studying a child’s reaction when pressing on the tragus, which is very common among pediatricians, should be treated very critically in connection with a large number false positive reactions.

It is recommended to conduct the study on a sleeping child. The same applies to the child’s reaction when pressing on the area behind the ear, since at this age the system of air cells of the mastoid process has not yet been formed. However, if the child’s reaction is persistent and repeated, one can think about the development of periostitis.

An important general symptom is body temperature. On the 2-3rd day of the disease, it usually rises sharply, sometimes to 39-40 ° C, although there is a variant of the course of the disease (the so-called latent otitis), in which the temperature is subfebrile.

An increase in body temperature is accompanied by severe intoxication. It is more often expressed by excitement: the child does not sleep, screams, the condition worsens at night, sometimes, on the contrary, a depressed state occurs, apathy, vomiting, regurgitation, and increased bowel movements. The child refuses to eat.

After clarifying the medical history and general symptoms, they proceed to the examination. Pay attention to the child’s posture, the condition of the skin, lymph nodes, abdominal wall etc., since acute otitis media can be a consequence of infectious, allergic and gastrointestinal diseases.

When examining children of this age, special attention is paid to neurological symptoms, which can develop as a result of severe intoxication, symptoms of irritation meninges(meningismus). The development of menschism is explained by a good network of anastomoses (circulatory and lymphatic) between the middle ear and the cranial cavity.

It is necessary to check the basic meningeal reflexes (Kernig, Brudzinsky). The same applies to eye symptoms: limitation of vision and mobility eyeball, the appearance of nystagmus.

Before moving on to endoscopy and palpation, during an external examination, pay attention to the condition of the facial muscles (facial nerve paresis); protrusion of the ears, severity of the postauricular transitional fold; condition of the mastoid area, temperature, color, swelling or infiltration of the skin over it; enlargement and tenderness of the anterior and posterior auricular lymph nodes; the condition of the sternocleidomastoid muscles and their anterior edge, where the jugular vein passes.

After a detailed examination, an otoscopy is performed. Examination of the eardrum in infants, and even more so in newborns, is very difficult due to the narrowness of the external auditory canal and the almost horizontal position of the eardrum. At this age, the external auditory canal is often filled with vernix and epidermal scales, which should be carefully removed using a probe and cotton wool before inserting even the narrowest funnel.

Usually you can only inspect upper sections eardrum, which are injected at the beginning of the disease and then become hyperemic.

Rest identification marks, as a rule, cannot be distinguished. The light reflex appears in a child at least 1.5 months old.

There are a number of other factors that distort the typical otoscopic picture for otitis media in adults. Insertion of the funnel and toilet of the external auditory canal can themselves cause hyperemia of the eardrum, as well as anxiety in the child. The epidermal layer of the tympanic membrane in a newborn and infant is relatively thick and not always hyperemic even with an inflammatory process in the tympanic cavity. All this significantly reduces the value of the otoscopic picture, significantly complicating diagnosis, which is based more on general symptoms.

Modern pneumatic otoscopes make the examination somewhat easier, which, in addition to magnifying the elements of the eardrum, make it possible to determine its mobility.

The same applies to the study of auditory function, which is only possible with the help of complex objective methods.

Some data can be obtained by x-ray examination of the temporal bones, which reveals a decrease in the airiness of the cavities of the middle ear.

Hemogram does not have characteristic changes, because, like any inflammatory process, acute otitis media is accompanied by leukocytosis with a shift in the blood count to the left, increased ESR etc.

Thus, the diagnosis of acute inflammation of the middle ear in infants and newborns in the initial period is very difficult. However, at this time, an urgent determination of treatment tactics for the child is required.

Treatment of Acute Otitis Media in Children

Common methods of local treatment are aimed at improving the outflow of exudate from the tympanic cavity or at its resorption. For this purpose, vasoconstrictor nasal drops are used to improve patency. auditory tubes, apply warm compresses to the ear area, physiotherapeutic procedures, sometimes an incision of the eardrum using a paracentesis needle (paracentesis); Various alcohol drops in the ear are also widely used.

However, the mainstay is the prescription of antibiotics. The indication is primarily the severity of the condition associated with acute inflammation of the middle ear, intoxication, high fever and pain.

In case of illness moderate severity During the first 24 hours, you can limit yourself to symptomatic treatment, but if there is no positive dynamics within 24 hours, antibiotic therapy must be prescribed.

Children under 2 years of age almost always require antibiotics.

Antibiotics are prescribed taking into account data on the prevalence of clinically significant pathogens. Unreasonable prescription contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance and adverse reactions.

For the first time acute otitis media occurs, as well as in children who have not received antibiotics during the previous 1 - 2 months, amoxicillin is the drug of choice. At allergic reaction Modern macrolides are recommended for this drug.

If acute otitis media has developed in a child who has received antibiotics over the past 2 months, as well as if amoxicillin is ineffective within 3 days, combined “protected” antibiotics, in particular amoxicillin-clavulanate, become the drugs of choice. Clavulanic acid, which is part of, for example, augmentin or amoxiclav, binds beta-lactamase (an enzyme secreted by a microorganism that destroys the lactome ring of the antibiotic), thereby overcoming the resistance of the pathogen. Alternative drugs for acute otitis media are cephalosporins and macrolides.

For uncomplicated forms of acute otitis media, drugs are prescribed orally; The duration of the course is at least 5-7 days.

Otitis in children is an ENT disease, which is an inflammatory process in the child’s ear.

Inflammation of the middle ear in a child(otitis) can lead to complications and therefore requires immediate treatment. If you do not consult a doctor at the first alarming symptoms, the acute form of the disease progresses and can turn into a purulent form. At the same time, the eardrum is also involved in the inflammation process, and otitis media becomes chronic. Chronic form of otitis - a sentence on long years, because a hole that does not heal is formed in the membrane, which is why the child’s hearing is reduced.

Otitis media can be unilateral (affects one ear) or bilateral (inflammation develops in both ears).

Almost always, otitis in a child begins as, and has the following manifestations:

• Severe ear pain;
• up to 39°C;
• Tearfulness and apathy;
• Sometimes purulent discharge “comes out” of the ear.

In children in the first year of life, otitis often occurs in a latent form. That is why it is extremely difficult to determine the disease in infants. However, if you carefully observe your baby, you can notice changes in his behavior characteristic of otitis media.

• The child turns his head and refuses to eat, which in itself is an alarming symptom.
• Waking up in the middle of the night, the baby cries, which may be his reaction to severe ear pain.
• The child cannot lie down in bed and turns around, trying to find a position so that the pain will calm down.
• The baby continually scratches or rubs his ear with his fist, although this has not been observed before - it could be a pain in the ear. To confirm or refute your assumptions, gently press on the protrusion near the auricle. If the child does not react, there is no pain in the ear.
• If a child has developed severe otitis, he throws back his head, suffers, and strains his arms and legs. The fontanel becomes convex.
• Newborns squint their eyes towards the sore ear and shake their heads.

To avoid starting an infection, You should consult a doctor at the first manifestations of the disease.

Video of otitis in a child

Causes of otitis media in children

Sometimes it happens that an unattended baby pierces the eardrum with a knitting needle or a sharp part from a toy. This can provoke traumatic otitis media.

But the most common cause of pathology is foci of infection in the sinuses or in the tonsil area. Since in babies the eardrum is too close to the inflammatory discharge from the nose or throat easily penetrate the middle ear and infect the eardrum.

As a rule, otitis develops in children with low blood pressure and in infants who most time lie.

Treatment of otitis in a child

Many parents are interested in: “How to treat otitis media in children yourself?” Avoid self-medication when it comes to a child. First thing you need to show the baby to the pediatrician and ENT doctor who will examine the baby and prescribe effective, safe therapy.

The usual treatment regimen for otitis media is:

1. Relieve painful symptoms;
2. Provide the baby with nasal breathing (rinse, clean, drip into the nasal cavity);
3. To prevent complications, a course is prescribed;
4. Sometimes it may be necessary to remove a child's adenoids.

Drugs for the treatment of otitis media are prescribed individually for each case.

Important! If a child has a fever, all kinds of inhalations or warming compresses are strictly contraindicated. Also, you should not treat children's otitis media with boric alcohol, which can cause eardrums in the ear canal.

If the pathology is not treated or self-medicated, the child may develop severe complications.

Why is childhood otitis dangerous?

The infection spreads very easily to the brain, because it is located very close to the source of inflammation.

Possible complications of otitis media in children:

• Pus entering the brain cavity;
• Deterioration or loss of hearing;
• Problems in the vestibular apparatus;
• Speech problems;
• Damage to the facial nerve (the child’s face is distorted).

To protect your child from developing otitis media, you should approach the procedure with all responsibility. It is also known that children fed with mother's milk get sick less often than those born artificially.

Attention! The use of any medicines and dietary supplements, as well as the use of any therapeutic techniques, only possible with the permission of a doctor.