How to find out if there is otitis. How to determine otitis media in infants: symptoms and treatment. Examples of improper treatment

Otitis is an ENT disease characterized by the development of inflammatory processes in different parts of the ear. Due to the age-related structural features of the auditory analyzer, 80% of children encounter this pathology at the stage of preschool development. Adequate parents are interested in advance how to recognize otitis media in a child at an early stage of the disease.

Especially often inflammation of the ear occurs in childhood. If it is not difficult to assume a certain otitis media in adults, then how to recognize the symptoms of otitis media in a newborn baby and baby raises many questions from parents.

Before reviewing the clinical varieties, a few words about the anatomy of the organ. The auditory analyzer has the most complex structure of all the sense organs. It consists of 3 departments that communicate with each other:

1. The outer ear is the area represented by the auricle and the external auditory meatus.
2. Middle ear. This is the sound generation area. It includes the tympanic cavity, a system of several auditory ossicles, and the Eustachian tube. The latter structure connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx.
3. The inner ear is a system of channels in the temporal bone, called the cochlea for its structure. The channels are filled with liquid, their surface is lined with hair cells, which perform a complex function - the conversion of mechanical vibrations of sound into a nerve impulse.

Depending on the place of development of the disease, there are various forms of otitis media in adults and children. External is characterized by damage to the auricle and auditory canal. It is more often represented by the course of furunculosis.

Otitis media has several varieties:

• purulent chronic otitis.

Internal otitis is usually a complication after untreated otitis media.

Symptoms of the disease directly depend on the form of the disease and the nature of the course of the process. According to the type of flow, otitis media can be acute or chronic. In children, the first option usually prevails. Let's try to figure out how to recognize otitis media and its complications in a baby in time.

otitis media

Internal otitis (labyrinthitis) is a serious and severe pathology. This is a secondary inflammatory process against the background of a severe purulent process in the middle ear or septic diseases in the body. The first signs of otitis media are so uncharacteristic that it is unlikely that the mother will take them for an ear pathology.

Symptoms of labyrinthitis:

• loss of balance, unsteadiness when walking;
• dizziness;
• noise in ears;
• nausea, vomiting.

Since the signs are not indicative and the child is not able to present such complaints, it is especially difficult to diagnose at an early age. The only thing that will alert parents of infants and one-year-old children is the appearance of signs against the background of severe infections. There will be no better way out for the child than to show him to the doctor.

Otitis media

This form has typical signs of inflammation of the middle ear in adults. Let us analyze the classical version of the course of the stages of inflammation.

The onset is usually acute. The disease proceeds with severe ear pain, general malaise, decreased hearing acuity. The pain is sharp, intense, radiating to the jaw, teeth, neck. The further course depends on the condition of the eardrum. When the accumulated inflammatory secret creates excessive internal pressure in the tympanic cavity, perforation (rupture) of the membrane occurs and pus and blood come out. After external suppuration begins, the general condition of the patient improves.

Parents are concerned about the question of how not to miss otitis in a child. Children, starting from preschool age, are able to present clear complaints to their mother indicating the place of discomfort. But a child of a year - two years old will have a sharp unreasonable anxiety, loss of appetite, tearfulness. Perhaps the baby will rub his ears, especially the sick one, and refuse to sleep on his unhealthy side. The development of such a symptom complex should direct the mother to a doctor's examination.

Otitis externa in a child

Of the inflammatory diseases of the ears in children, otitis externa is the most common. Children of the first three years of life are especially susceptible to the disease. This is due to the entrance gate for infection. Any abrasions, microtraumas in the ears, care defects can serve as a breeding ground for pathogenic staphylococcus aureus.

Local signs of otitis externa in an adult and in a child of 3 years are the same. The local picture proceeds as an inflammatory disease of the skin and subcutaneous tissue: an abscess is formed with outlined edges, painful to the touch. It is possible to spread the purulent process to the entire auricle and involve the middle sections in case of untimely seeking help. But the general symptoms in children are more pronounced than in adults: fever, intoxication syndrome, an increase in regional lymph nodes.

Characteristic signs of the disease

Whichever form of the disease develops in a baby, there are signs characteristic of any inflammatory process. The child's body reacts to infectious diseases with an intoxication syndrome. Due to imperfect immunity, even a slight inflammation can cause a lot of unpleasant symptoms in babies.

The temperature in otitis in a child does not always correlate with the severity of the inflammatory process, it is accompanied by loss of appetite, drowsiness, moodiness. And even a typical pain syndrome can be less pronounced in a child than in an adult. This is due to the higher sensitivity threshold of the children's nervous system. Possible manifestations of ear pain in the form of equivalents: discomfort, congestion.

Due to the predominance of vegetative innervation in babies, problems with the ears will often be accompanied by dizziness and headache. The anatomical and physiological features of the tympanic membrane are such that its density at an early age does not allow the accumulated pus to quickly come out. Therefore, up to 3 years, otitis in children is sluggish, long-term.

How to treat otitis in a child

A change in the behavior of a baby for no apparent reason, the development of a general malaise is a serious reason for a visit to a pediatrician. If otitis media is suspected or if there are alarming non-specific symptoms, the pediatrician will send the child for an examination by an ENT doctor. When the diagnosis is confirmed, only a specialist prescribes treatment for the baby. It is important for parents to know that the use of drops in the ear before the examination is unacceptable, as they distort the true picture of the disease. You can help the baby with the usual painkillers inside - Nurofen, Paracetamol.

An otolaryngologist with the help of special equipment will help determine what caused the disease. Since pathogenic microorganisms are common causes of ear inflammation, it will be reasonable to prescribe systemic antibiotics for otitis media in children. When prescribing the drug and the form of administration, the age of the child, the severity and form of the disease are taken into account. From the list of approved drugs, doctors prescribe semi-synthetic penicillins (Gramox, Augmentin, Amoxiclav, Ampicillin) or cephalosporins (Cefodox, Cefutil, Ceftriaxone). By analyzing the secretions, it is possible to identify the sensitivity of the microorganism to the antibiotic, but only in the case of the onset of suppuration.

In the complex of therapy, instillation of ear drops or the placement of turundas with drugs in the ear canal are prescribed. Ear drops are prescribed with an anti-inflammatory or bactericidal effect. With severe pain, complex agents with local anesthetics are used.

Of the main ENT procedures, in some cases, the ear canal is washed from sulfur plugs and pathological secretions. This method is carried out in a hospital, using special tools. When the infection causes profuse secretion of pus, the eardrum is tense, the doctor will resort to its surgical dissection. Thus, the doctor will sanitize the ear cavity and prevent the development of complications.

How to recognize complications of otitis media

Otitis is unpleasant not only in itself, but also the development of complications. Due to the anatomical proximity of the brain structures and the complex structure of the hearing aid, complications are formidable:

• meningitis;
• mastoiditis;
• labyrinthitis;
• sepsis;
• hearing loss of varying severity.

If otitis media is suspected, it is important not to treat the disease yourself. Children undergo a course of therapy only under the supervision of a doctor.

Warning symptoms:

• lack of positive dynamics, the effect of therapeutic measures (prolonged fever, increasing lethargy, persistent pain syndrome);
• accession of alarming signs (severe headache, dizziness, unsteadiness when walking, loss or clouding of consciousness);
• progressive hearing loss, up to deafness.

A patient with such complaints is hospitalized in a hospital for additional diagnostic and therapeutic measures.

Prevention of otitis media in children

The most vulnerable group for the occurrence of otitis media is children under 7 years of age. It is important to pay special attention to measures to prevent ear diseases in this group:

• proper hygienic care - refusal to use cotton buds, gentle cleansing of the external auditory canal and auricle from dirt;
• adequate care for the nasal cavity with a runny nose;
• timely treatment of infections of the upper respiratory tract, carious teeth;
• having a chronic ear disease, you need to beware of hypothermia, water procedures with diving.

As with any infectious disease, the body's defenses play an important role. Therefore, it is necessary to instill in the family a healthy lifestyle, playing sports, and paying attention to a full-fledged nutritious diet. Infants up to a year or two should receive mother's milk, follow the schedule of routine vaccinations.

Perhaps otitis can be called a childhood disease. Babies under the age of three years in 80% of cases at least once, but suffered this pathology. By the age of 5-7 years, otitis media appears less frequently. Adults can also suffer from this pathology. However, in them it is often a complication of a disease. From this article you will learn what otitis has signs. You can also find out how to treat this pathology. It is necessary to say what are the signs of otitis media in infants, because a small child is unable to explain what hurts him.

What is otitis?

This disease is in its different parts. In this case, there may be abundant discharge from the ear canal (purulent otitis media). However, more often the pathology has an acute form. Chronic otitis media is less common. In this case, the disease has practically no symptoms, but can greatly harm human health.

Classification

Currently, there are three main types of pathology. Signs of otitis in an adult with different types of disease can be different. So, the pathology occurs in the following form:

• Otitis externa. In this case, the skin near the ear canal and the gap to the eardrum become inflamed.
• Otitis media. Inflammation affects the eardrum, Eustachian tube and additional elements. Signs of otitis media are most often found in children.
• Labyrinthitis. This form may also be called otitis media. The inflammatory process develops behind the eardrum and affects the cochlea.

Symptoms of pathology

Otitis media can have different symptoms. It all depends on what form of pathology develops. In most cases, there is pain. The patient complains of shooting sensations in the ear, which come on suddenly and disappear just as spontaneously. Signs of otitis in an adult can be identified as follows:

• The appearance of inflammation and redness around the entrance to the ear canal. In this case, we are talking about otitis externa. Here an abscess appears with a rod, which gradually increases in size and turns blue.
• Redness of the auditory canal and eardrum. Such first signs of otitis most often indicate inflammation of the middle ear.
• The appearance of an abscess in the eardrum. In this case, we are talking about purulent otitis media. The inflamed area grows and after a while opens up. It is worth noting that this does not always happen spontaneously.

What are the symptoms of the disease in children?

Signs of otitis media in an infant may not always be correctly identified. Often parents are not able to recognize the cause of the baby's anxiety and trigger the disease. That is why it is so important to know what signs of otitis media have in young children. The most common manifestations are as follows:

• restless behavior during the day and sleep disturbance at night;
• sudden unreasonable crying;
• the child grabs his ears with his hands and turns his head;
• there is severe pain when swallowing, so the baby can take his mother's breast and immediately move away with crying;
• when pressing on the tragus, the child moves away and begins to cry.

Causes of pathology

So, you know what otitis media has in different cases. What causes the development of the disease?

In most cases, pathology is a complication of a prolonged runny nose. This is especially common in children. If you blow your nose or position your head incorrectly during sleep, snot flows into the Eustachian tube and causes inflammation.

Also, the disease can develop when microbes enter the ear. This often happens when swimming in public waters.

Otitis can also be caused by the ear canal. This occurs when the ears are not properly cleaned and due to the insertion of foreign objects into the ear.

Often from patients you can hear the expression "ear puffed out." Indeed, drafts and hypothermia can also cause the development of the disease. However, this happens with a general decrease in immunity.

How to cure the disease?

Depending on what signs of otitis has, an appropriate correction is prescribed. Be sure to take into account the age of the patient and the form of pathology. Do not engage in self-assignment, as it can lead to neglect of the process.

Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents

For often prescribed antimicrobials. They can be used locally or taken orally. These include Summamed, Flemoxin tablets, Isofra, Protargol nose drops, Otofa, Otipax ear canal treatments.

It should be noted that it can not be used for purulent otitis media. Otherwise, the drug can get on the opened eardrum and cause temporary hearing loss and severe pain.

Antipyretic and analgesic drugs

If during the pathology the temperature rises or severe pain occurs, then these medicines should be used. When it comes to children's otitis, it is better to give drugs before bedtime. Otherwise, the baby may not sleep well and worry all the time from pain. This group includes such means as Paracetamol, Nurofen, Nimulid, Nise. All of them are prescribed in a certain dosage in accordance with age.

Surgery

With a purulent form of otitis media, when the affected area does not open on its own, surgical intervention may be necessary. Most often it is carried out within the walls of the hospital. The doctor opens the abscess and cleans its internal cavity. After that, antibiotic therapy and precautionary measures are recommended.

Additional funds

Always with otitis media are prescribed for the nose. Most often, these are vasoconstrictor drugs. They help relieve swelling and improve the permeability of the walls for the action of drugs.

Warming up with the help can also be prescribed. In this case, a cotton swab soaked in the product is inserted into the ear canal for a while. If necessary, the doctor prescribes the treatment of the throat, since these organs are closely related.

Prevention

To avoid illness, you should carefully monitor your health. Follow these rules to keep yourself as safe as possible:

• Clean your ears with special means with a limiter.
• Do not put foreign objects in your ears.
• Shake water out of your ear after bathing.
• Avoid getting fluid from open water into the ear canal.
• Treat runny nose and sore throat in time.
• Do not engage in self-appointment, visit an orthorhinolaryngologist if necessary.
• Avoid drafts and hypothermia.
• Boost your immunity and get stronger.

Take preventive measures and do not get sick!

With children's otitis, most parents are familiar firsthand. Eight out of ten newborns and infants up to a year old have had inflammation of the hearing organs at least once. Why the youngest children are more often exposed to this disease and how to help the child, we will tell in this article.

What it is

The inflammatory process that occurs in one of the sections of the human ear is called "otitis media". Accordingly, with inflammation of the outer ear, they talk about otitis externa, the middle ear - about the middle one, the internal one - about internal otitis media or labyrinthitis.

In children of the first year of life, otitis media is more common.

In children, this disease is usually acute. You can talk about chronic otitis media when episodes of inflammation are repeated from 5 times a year.

With allergic otitis, also with severe inflammation with general sensitization, antihistamines, for example, Suprastin, may be recommended.

If otitis media is accompanied by nasal congestion and rhinitis, then vasoconstrictor nasal drops are prescribed for a course of no more than 3-5 days, since their longer intake can lead to persistent drug dependence.

Ear drops are usually instilled 3-4 times a day, 2-4 drops in each ear canal. Drops in a nose - in the morning and in the evening. The dosage and frequency of antibiotics is determined by the doctor based on the weight of the child.

Additionally, vitamins and iron preparations can be prescribed, since a decrease in hemoglobin often occurs against the background of otitis media.

With catarrhal otitis without purulent complications, the child may be allowed to do warm compresses. To do this, parents will need:

• cotton wool;
• bandage;
• gauze;
• compress paper;
• heated vegetable oil.

A vertical cut is made in gauze for the auricle. The size of a piece of gauze is 10x10 cm. It is moistened with warm sunflower oil and applied to the sore ear, passing the auricle through the slit. Then a layer of paper for compresses is applied, its size is 12x12 cm. Then dry gauze 14x14 cm in size is applied and the compress is carefully fixed with a bandage so that it does not let air through.

The compress is applied for 4-6 hours. Do not do the procedure at night. Vodka and alcohol for such treatment can not be used. The compress can be put only when the temperature of the child is at normal values.

With a competent and thorough approach, the treatment of otitis media in infants and newborns will not take more than five to six days. At the same time, acute pain usually manages to “win” in a day or two.

In severe cases, the doctor may suggest a puncture of the eardrum. This is done if the pus cannot come out. To avoid its breakthrough inside, a small incision is made on the membrane. This is not dangerous. After the discharge of purulent contents, the incision will heal, the integrity of the membrane will be completely restored.

After the course of treatment, you should definitely visit a pediatric otolaryngologist with the baby, who will examine the baby's ears and find out if the auditory function has been affected.

Otitis externa is treated with antibiotic ointments, antimicrobial turundas, and warm compresses. With the formation of an abscess or boil, its surgical opening may be indicated.

What not to do:

• You can not warm up the ears if the child has a purulent form of otitis media.
• You can not bury the child in the nose and ears of breast milk, which is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria.
• Do not stop taking antibiotics at the first sign of improvement. The course (it usually takes 5-7 days) must be completed.
• You can not bury a child in the ears of homemade homemade drops.
• Do not use alcohol products for the treatment of an infant.
• You can not put warm compresses at elevated body temperature.

Prevention

The risk of injury to the ears can be reduced if, for hygienic cleaning, you do not use cotton swabs, but self-made turundas made from gauze.

If you quickly and correctly respond to nasal congestion, snot in a child, properly treat rhinitis, then this significantly reduces the likelihood of developing complications such as otitis media.

So that the nasal mucus does not thicken, including after it enters the auditory tube, the child must breathe sufficiently humidified cool air. The best parameters for children under one year old are air temperature from 18 to 21 degrees, humidity - 50-70%.

When collecting a child for a walk, it should be remembered that it is not necessary to wrap it up, but it is also impossible to allow drafts and wind to blow through the head and ears. Caps should be chosen in such a way that they cover the ears even in summer. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to choose a warm hat if it is already warm outside. If there is a strong wind outside, it is better to postpone walks with a baby.

After feeding the child, it is imperative to hold it in an upright position so that the regurgitation does not get into the auditory tube.

- an infectious disease that affects the middle or outer ear. Most often this occurs during the course of an infectious disease, a complication of which is otitis media.

Pathogenic microorganisms enter the ear against the background of reduced immunity, as a result of which an inflammatory process occurs. It can be acute and chronic. In any case, at the slightest suspicion of otitis media, you should consult a doctor to determine the cause of the disease and choose the right treatment. Inaction threatens with a significant decrease in auditory activity and even the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the cerebral cortex.

There are several main causes of occurrence:

• ARI diseases. Usually, viruses and bacteria get into the middle ear with excessive blowing of the nose. Since, due to the disease, the cleansing ability of the tympanic cavity of the ear decreases, an inflammatory process occurs.
• The presence, as well as chronic diseases of the nasopharynx, increases the risk of developing otitis media.
• Sometimes otitis media provokes a sharp drop in pressure. This applies to frequent takeoffs and landings of the aircraft, as well as dives of scuba divers.
• The development of the disease against the background of reduced immunity.
• Ear injury.

The main signs of otitis in a baby:

• When feeding, the baby behaves restlessly and constantly throws the bottle or breast, despite the hunger. Here we can assume that swallowing gives the child pain.
• In the evening, the child begins to rise in temperature, he becomes whiny and constantly turns his head.
• When you try to put pressure on the ear (especially on the cartilage), the child begins to cry and break out.
• The presence of diarrhea, vomiting and fever.
• Changing the color of the ear.
• Discharge from ear canal.

Of course, you should not try to cure the child on your own, because this is a big risk to his health. With such symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor so that the treatment is safe and effective. Moreover, drugs for the treatment

The body of a newborn child is in a state of continuous improvement and adaptation to the environment. Therefore, the diseases of children in the first year of life have their own developmental features. One of these diseases is acute otitis in infants: the causes of this disease, the symptoms and treatment are fundamentally different from similar pathologies in adults and young children.

Causes of otitis in children 1 year of age

Of all the varieties of otitis in infants, acute otitis media is mainly diagnosed, which will be discussed in this article. The occurrence of this disease is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the hearing organs in children of the first year of life.

In a newborn, the organ connecting the nasopharynx with the middle ear, the Eustachian tube, is wider and shorter than in an adult. The cavity of the Eustachian tube is filled with gelatinous tissue, which is an ideal substrate for the reproduction of microbes. In addition, it has an almost horizontal position. The combination of all these factors causes a high probability of infected mucus or food debris from the nasopharynx entering the middle ear cavity and active reproduction of pathogens in it. As a result, a purulent exudate is formed, which, by exerting pressure on the eardrum, causes acute pain.

There are two main reasons for the development of the inflammatory process in the middle ear cavity in infants:

1. Acute respiratory viral diseases, infectious diseases, influenza. A bacterial infection that develops against the background of a viral disease quickly penetrates into the tympanic cavity along with mucus from the nasopharynx. Often the disease is a complication of SARS.
2. Improper feeding - a horizontal position in which the baby is fed, poorly selected nipples and bottles can provoke milk or formula to be thrown into the middle ear cavity.

The above causes can give rise to acute otitis media in 50-60% of children under the age of 1 year. The likelihood of the disease increases in the presence of provoking factors.

Factors contributing to the development of inflammation of the middle ear

The inability to resist infection in children of the first year of life is a predetermining moment for the development of the disease. The body's resistance is directly related to the strength of the immune response. The risk of otitis media increases in the presence of any of the reasons that reduce the already imperfect immunity of the child. Such reasons may be:

• artificial feeding;
• hypothermia and overheating of the child;
• improper antibiotic treatment;
• avitaminosis;
• malnutrition;
• frequent contact with pathogens of infectious diseases.

In addition, there are a number of other factors that are not related to immunity that can provoke purulent otitis media in newborns and infants:

• prematurity;
• pathological pregnancy;
• pathological childbirth;
• obstetric trauma;
• insufficient hygiene of the child's nose, especially during respiratory diseases;
• the baby's tendency to allergic reactions;
• tobacco smoke in the room where the child is;
• the presence of adenoids.

Symptoms of the disease

Untimely diagnosis and delayed treatment of acute otitis in a child under one year old is fraught with serious complications. Therefore, all young parents need to know how to recognize otitis media in infants.

Acute otitis media in infants is characterized by the following symptoms:

1. Sharp pain. The child is very restless, cries almost all the time and makes pendulum shaking of the head. Sleeps especially badly at night. Can fall asleep if it is laid on a sore ear. Children who have better coordination of movements can reach out with a pen to a sore spot.
2. Temperature. In most cases, it reaches 39-40 degrees, but sometimes there may be subfebrile temperature. The rise in temperature is drastic.
3. Eating behavior. The baby refuses to take the breast or suck from a bottle because sucking makes the pain worse. Or he may start to eat, but after the first sucking movements, he begins to cry loudly.
4. Disorders from the gastrointestinal tract. In some cases, there may be vomiting or loose stools.

As a rule, the disease begins suddenly. Symptoms increase at night, and an absolutely healthy child suddenly becomes restless. The above signs of the presence of otitis media in infants are the reason for calling an ambulance. Lack of treatment at an early stage can cause the development of meningism. It is caused by the ingress of toxins into the membrane of the brain and is expressed by the following symptoms: protrusion of the fontanel, convulsive tension of the limbs, vomiting, tilting of the head.

Treatment of otitis media in infants

Treatment of the disease is carried out exclusively under medical supervision. To make the correct diagnosis, you will need not only a survey of parents, but also a number of instrumental examinations of the baby in combination with laboratory diagnostics. All these activities will allow you to choose the optimal treatment for the disease.

Acute otitis in children under one year old is treated with medication or with the help of surgery. The surgical method is resorted to in especially severe cases. The eardrum of an infant is thicker than that of an adult, so tearing it to release the formed pus is extremely rare. In cases where purulent exudate needs to be removed urgently, they resort to an operation - paracentesis.

In all other cases, otitis media is treated with drugs. In this case, children under 1 year of age are prescribed:

1. Antibiotics - are used without fail to eliminate the bacterial cause of the disease. The antibiotic is selected taking into account the results of laboratory tests, during which it is necessary to determine the causative agent of the infection. The calculation of the dose of the antibacterial drug is based on the body weight of the child. Be sure to take into account whether the child received any antibiotics over the past 2 months. For the treatment of otitis, combined antibiotics of the Amoxicillin group or cephalosporins of the I or II generation (Amoxiclav, Augmentin, Cefuroxime) are prescribed.
2. Vasoconstrictor drugs are prescribed to facilitate nasal breathing and improve the ventilation of the auditory tube (Nazivin 0.01%).
3. To alleviate the pain symptom and reduce body temperature, children's syrups based on paracetamol or ibuprofen (Panadol, Nurofen) are used.
4. To eliminate swelling of the nasal mucosa, antiallergic drugs are prescribed.
5. Restorative therapy is provided: multivitamin complexes, optimization of the nutrition of a child or a nursing mother.

The question of whether it is necessary to treat otitis in a child up to a year with special ear drops is controversial. The expediency of their appointment is determined by the attending physician in each individual case.

Hygiene measures

In addition to drug treatment, it is necessary to carry out a number of measures that contribute to a faster recovery of the baby:

Timely treatment started in compliance with all the prescriptions of medical specialists implies a complete recovery. The prolonged start of therapy contributes to the development of the disease into a chronic form. A neglected disease is fraught with the development of meningitis, mastoiditis, sepsis. All these complications will lead to long and expensive treatment. Therefore, timely treatment to medical institutions is the key to a quick and final recovery.

Prevention of otitis media in infants

Compliance with the following list of preventive measures can prevent the development of the disease in children under one year old:

1. A prerequisite for a child's strong immunity and high ability to resist infection is breastfeeding. It has been proven that children who were breastfed for the first 4 months of life suffer from acute otitis media much less frequently.
2. It is necessary to exclude the possibility of food debris getting through the baby's nasopharynx into the Eustachian tube. To do this, during feeding, the baby should be in such a position that his head is as raised as possible. And raising the child after feeding to a vertical position prevents not only the appearance of intestinal colic, but also the risk of acute otitis media.
3. It is necessary to carry out activities to harden the baby. Hardening procedures should be carried out according to the recommendations of specialists. The ideal time of year to start wellness treatments is summer.
4. During the period of mass viral and respiratory diseases, it is necessary to limit the contact of the child with strangers and infected relatives.
5. It is very important to maintain the temperature of the room where the baby is located, within 18-22 degrees and humidity within 50 - 60%.
6. If the baby is sick, regular sinus cleaning is of particular importance. It must be remembered that it is the infected mucus of the sinuses that in the first place can provoke the development of otitis media. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of a runny nose, it is necessary to carefully clean the child's nose from mucus with the help of an aspirator and saline solutions.

Otitis in newborns and infants develops rapidly, and very quickly turns into severe forms of pathologies. In order to avoid these consequences, the slightest deviations from the normal behavior of the baby, refusal to eat, elevated body temperature, are the reason for contacting the pediatrician as soon as possible.