Ear infections most commonly affect the middle ear, which is an air-filled space located behind the eardrum. Ear infections are more frequent in infants and children because the smaller and less-developed organs around their eardrums make it harder for fluid to drain from their middle ear, which in turn causes them to be more susceptible to fluid becoming trapped in the eardrum.
If you suspect you or your child is experiencing the symptoms of a middle ear infection, receiving the proper diagnosis from your doctor is the first step towards beginning treatment. The right treatment for your child will depend on how old they are, as well as how severe the symptoms have become. Your doctor will discuss the treatment options with you upon diagnosis.
The “Wait-and-See” Approach
Most ear infections clear up on their own within a few weeks, with symptoms sometimes improving after just a few days. Therefore, the use of antibiotics to treat ear infections, especially in children, is usually only a last-resort treatment option. There are specific guidelines outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics to determine if this is the right route of treatment for your child:
- This is a good approach for children who are 6 to 23 months old and are experiencing mild inner ear pain in one ear for less than 48 hours, with a temperature of less than 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
- This is also a good approach for children who are two years old and older and are experiencing mild inner ear pain in one or both ears for less than 48 hours, with a temperature of less than 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
If your child’s symptoms do not begin to improve within a few days, or if they begin to get worse, check back with your doctor to see if a different approach may be more beneficial.
Pain Management
Even if antibiotics are not used to fix the infection right away, your doctor will probably recommend some treatments that can help lessen the pain of an ear infection. Some common treatments for managing pain include:
- Pain medication: Often, doctors will recommend over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve pain. Be cautious about the use of aspirin, especially in children and teenagers, as it has been linked with Reye’s syndrome. If your child is recovering from the chickenpox or the flu, they should not take aspirin.
- Medicated eardrops: Another option for more severe pain would be prescription eardrops, such as antipyrine-benzocaine-glycerin (Aurodex).
- Warm compress: If pain still persists, one simple option that might be helpful is placing a warm, moist washcloth over the affected ear.
Antibiotic Therapy
Antibiotics are used to treat ear infections only under certain circumstances. If your child is experiencing pain for more than 48 hours or if their temperature has increased to above 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit, then your doctor will probably prescribe an antibiotic. It is important to remember to always take the entire antibiotic, even after symptoms improve, because otherwise the infection can become resistant to antibiotics.
Surgical Ear Tubes
If your child is experiencing recurrent ear infections (which would be defined as at least three episodes within six months), then you and your doctor may look into surgical options. These procedures are designed to drain fluid from the middle ear by creating a tiny hole in the eardrum and then placing a small tube in opening to help ventilate the middle ear and prevent future fluid buildup.
