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How to Treat Ear Infections

As every parent knows, children often get ear infections, especially in Hawaii where they're frequently in the water. In fact, three out of every four children have at least one ear infection by the time they are five years old.

And, if all the water activity wasn't enough, colds and allergies can also lead to ear infections. The cause of the infection is simple; the tube that connects the ear to the throat gets swollen and fluid builds up in the middle ear instead of draining out into the throat. Once there, the fluid can easily get infected, and create painful pressure inside the ear.

While your grade school or high school child will readily tell you his or her ear hurts, it can be a little more difficult to tell when your infant child has an earache. Babies and toddlers get more ear infections than older children.

The tubes that connect their ears to their throats are so tiny that they swell shut very easily. By the time children are 4 to 6 years old, the tubes are larger and drain fluids better. Your infant may cry, act fussy, or tug at the ears. The child may also have other symptoms, such as fever, diarrhea, or a runny nose.

Acute middle ear infections are marked by ear pain, redness of the eardrum, and distinct bulging of the eardrum, often with fever.

The standard treatment for acute infections is antibiotics. But frequently even the less acute infections are also treated with antibiotics when it might be more appropriate to make environmental adjustments. Breastfeeding helps infants from getting ear infections. If you bottle-feed your baby, always hold the baby with the head higher than the chest and tummy. That way, the liquid will run down into the baby's throat, not into the middle ear. Never prop a bottle beside your baby in the crib. Keep all children, especially babies, away from anyone who is smoking or has a cold. You might also want to reconsider your day care arrangements if ear infections are frequent.

If antibiotics are prescribed, it is important that your child take the full prescription of the antibiotic so that the infection doesn't develop a resistance to the drug and to ensure that the drug has the desired impact.

If your child is in the water frequently, and suffers from earaches, they should use eardrops before they enter the water and when they get out. "Swimmer's ear" drops can be purchased at all pharmacies, but you can also make your own home drops for a fraction of the cost, by taking equal parts of rubbing alcohol and vinegar. Only a few drops are necessary in each ear before and after swimming.

To make an appointment with a Straub pediatrician, call Straub's 24-hour appointment line, (808) 522-4777.