Ear pain and concerns about hearing are one of the most common reasons parents take their young children to the doctor.
If you think your child has an ear infection, take them to your family doctor.
There are 2 common types of middle ear problems:
Read about glue ear [1].
You can also check some more detailed information about ear infections [2].
The inside of the ear can be separated into three parts, the outer, middle and inner ear.
The pain from an ear infection comes on rapidly and doesn't last long. It usually wears off within 24 hours.
Older children will complain of significant ear pain and may have a fever. They may also feel unwell and complain of reduced hearing in the affected ear. They may complain of problems with balance.
In babies and younger children, sometimes the only sign of an ear infection is a fever.
Younger children may also:
Occasionally, the ear drum will burst and pus will come out of the ear. See your family doctor if this happens.
Regular pain relief is important to help your child feel more comfortable. Paracetamol and/or ibuprofen can help reduce pain, and also lower fever which can make your child feel better. You must follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. It is dangerous to give more than the recommended dose.
Your doctor may either:
If you think your child has an ear infection, take them to your family doctor.
Once an ear infection is diagnosed, your child should start to improve within 24 to 48 hours. If the symptoms are no better or are getting worse, or you are worried about your child, take them back to your family doctor.
Always take your child to your family doctor for an ear check after any ear infection, to make sure the ear fluid has gone. Go to your doctor again 4 to 6 weeks after the ear infection.
It is not easy to prevent ear infections, but the following may help reduce the risk:
Starship Foundation and the Paediatric Society of New Zealand acknowledge the cooperation of Procare Health Ltd in the development of this content. Procare Health Ltd provides GP (general practice) services in the greater Auckland area.
Illustrations
Illustrations by Dr Greta File. Property of KidsHealth.
This page last reviewed 30 November 2021.
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Links
[1] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/glue-ear
[2] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/ear-infections-detail
[3] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/keeping-your-home-warm-dry
[4] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/ear-infections-detail?language=en
[5] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/contact?from=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kidshealth.org.nz%2Fprint%2F2372%3Flanguage%3Den