If your pediatrician recommends antibiotics, she’ll usually start with amoxicillin, an effective and safe antibiotic for bacterial infections that is one of the most commonly prescribed for young children. What Are the Treatments for Ear Infections?
Children with another condition that could make an infection harder to heal, including cleft palate, Down syndrome, immune disorders and cochlear implants.Children 2 years or older who have a fever of 102.2 or higher.Babies ages six months to two years, who have moderate to severe ear pain.According to the AAFP, here are some of the circumstances where antibiotics are likely to be prescribed for an ear infection: If your child is in a lot of pain, and the symptoms last more than a few days, your pediatrician will likely recommend a round of antibiotics. When Is Treatment with Antibiotics Necessary for an Ear Infection? In many cases, your doctor will watch the infection for a few days to see if it goes away on its own. Physicians are keenly aware that the overprescription of antibiotics makes vital medicines less effective, so we work hard to use them only when truly necessary.Infections from both viruses and bacteria often disappear without antibiotics in a few days, especially in children over two years old.Antibiotics don’t help the pain associated with ear infections.Antibiotics don’t work for ear infections caused by viruses.According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, there are several reasons why doctors don’t prescribe antibiotics for every ear infection: Ear infections are caused by both bacteria and viruses, so antibiotics aren’t always the solution. However, your doctor won’t necessarily prescribe antibiotics right away. But if your child is under 6 months old, has a high fever, severe pain, drainage or swelling in the ear, it’s time to call your pediatrician. In some cases with older babies and toddlers, mild symptoms may go away on their own. Should My Child See Her Pediatrician for an Ear Infection? According to the Centers for Disease Control, the main symptoms of an ear infection include: Pain is one of the biggest red flags for an ear infection and one of the reasons they’re so hard for parents to wait out. What Are the Symptoms of an Ear Infection? In children, if bacteria gets trapped in the adenoids (infection-fighting tissue at the back of the nasal cavity), it can cause a chronic infection that gets passed to the eustachian tubes and middle ear.Children’s immune systems are still developing so it can be harder for them to fight infections.This means it’s harder for fluid to drain from the ear, so if a child’s tubes get blocked by mucus from another respiratory infection, fluid may not drain properly. Children’s eustachian tubes (the tubes that connect the middle ear to the nasal cavity) are smaller and more level than those of adults.The NIH points to several reasons why kids are more likely to get ear infections: According to the National Institutes of Health, five out of six children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday. Infections can be caused by viruses or bacteria which often impacts how we treat them. What Is an Ear Infection?Īn ear infection is an inflammation of the middle ear (the bones and tubes between the outer ear and the vital nerves of the inner ear) that occurs when fluid builds up behind the eardrum. Sometimes it’s best to watch and wait–the infection will often go away on its own. While we have a natural tendency to want to leave the pediatrician’s office with an immediate solution, we’re becoming more aware of the dangers of overprescription of antibiotics. But ear infections don’t always require antibiotics. They can be painful, and it’s so hard for parents to see their little ones suffer. How Long Does It Take for an Ear Infection to Clear Up?ĭid you know that ear infections are the number one reason parents take their children to the doctor? They’re often the first illness a baby or toddler gets.What Are the Treatments for Ear Infections?.When Is Treatment with Antibiotics Necessary for an Ear Infection?.Should My Child See Her Pediatrician for an Ear Infection?.What Are the Symptoms of an Ear Infection?.Why Do Kids Get So Many Ear Infections?.
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