How to determine if a child’s ears are sore

A kid who already knows how to speak will always tell his mother if something is wrong with his body. A child cannot do this less. How to determine that a child’s ears hurt? After all, if a child cries, is naughty, or changes his behavior, then these are completely different reasons. Cold, hot, hungry, swollen belly, wants to sleep. You can list for a long time.

What are the ways to determine that the baby has developed otitis media? There are several methods:

• temperature
• external signs
• "Grandmother's way"

To be sure, all three methods are used. But only for a preliminary assessment of the condition of the baby. An accurate diagnosis will be made only by the doctor. Therefore, at the slightest sign of malaise, you need to seek medical help. It’s better to stay awake than reproach yourself for inaction.

Temperature

The thermoregulatory functions of the body in an infant are not yet completely perfect. Therefore, a slight increase in body temperature is not a sign of infection or disease. The norm is up to 37.5 ° C. As a rule, with otitis, the thermometer scale creeps out at 38.5 ° C.

First aid. Babies are given an antipyretic based on paracetamol. Aspirin or dipyrone is strictly prohibited! And run to the doctor. Because high temperature can be a sign of not only otitis media, but also other serious diseases.

External signs

Starting from the age of four months, the baby, with the occurrence of pain in the ear, holds on to it with a pen. Carefully inspect the auricle. It happens that the eardrum can burst and pus freely flows out. This is clearly seen by the presence of a clear or yellowish liquid or dried crusts.

Some sources claim that with a disease of the ears, a tumor appears near the shell. It is not always so. There were cases that parents diagnosed otitis media on this basis, and in fact, the submandibular lymph node was inflamed. Fortunately, they turned to the doctor in a timely manner. An urgent drainage operation was performed and now the boy has only a faint scar under his ear.

Another outward sign is restless behavior. The child is naughty, turns his head or, conversely, squeezes her on the shoulders. When feeding sharply throws a breast, a bottle. It may simply refuse to eat because swallowing causes severe pain.

Runny nose. The structure of ENT organs in babies is such that with the appearance of snot, otitis media can develop. Promptly clean the spout and make sure that the child does not catch a cold.

First aid. Do not listen to grandmothers who recommend dripping boron alcohol or breast milk into your ear and making a warm compress. Alcohol causes very strong pain. Breast milk is still not a sterile product. And it is intended for feeding, not instillation in the ears. A warming compress can increase purulent escudate. And it’s good if it flows out through the external auditory meatus.

Anyway, leave these "grandmother" experiments. Remember the scale of infant mortality at that time. In the best case, half of 10-12 children survived. Therefore, just try to anesthetize the ear and go to the pediatrician. Otipax drops have proven themselves not bad. Only they can not be used for allergies to lidocaine. And remember: this is not a treatment, but only anesthesia!

"Grandma's Way"

But this method can be applied. Because even highly qualified specialists still use it. Diagnosis of otitis media is as follows: very carefully press on the cartilage in front of the auditory meatus. It is clearly expressed and confusing where to reap is difficult.If the baby twitches, cries or tries to move over, 100% is otitis media. Of course, the procedure is painful anyway. But then it gives a reliable result.

First aid. Anesthesia. And as soon as possible to the clinic. It is not worth treating ear diseases yourself. This is fraught with complications.

There are recommendations to instill camphor alcohol or vodka for otitis media, even for infants. So would advisers themselves drip in one place! Alcohol-containing liquids perfectly burn the surface of the inner ear if they get there. And for the external auditory canal there will be no beneficial effect.

Important points

1. To avoid such troubles in the future, try not to climb too often into the auricle. If the baby is not worried, then carefully clean the external auditory meatus no more than once a week. Use soft cotton twists without a solid base. And do not shove them deeply. Everything superfluous will be at the very edge.
2. Another indirect sign of the disease is nausea, vomiting, imbalance. At the initial stage, the ear does not hurt yet, but congestion and discomfort are already present in it. This disrupts the normal habitual functioning of the vestibular apparatus. Therefore, often carefully monitor the condition and behavior of the peanut.
3. When feeding, raise the baby's head at least at an angle of 35-45 °. And be sure to lift it vertically after eating. This will release the air that has entered the stomach. If this is not done, an eructation will occur, in which breast milk or a mixture may enter the middle ear. And this is the first prerequisite for the development of otitis media.
4. In no case do not decide on the treatment of the baby yourself! This is fraught with serious complications. You can determine at home that a child’s ears hurt, and this will turn out to be a completely different problem. You’re crammed with chemistry, but there’s no sense. Moreover, you can never at home calculate the correct dosage.
5. Avoid sudden changes in temperature. For example, gathered for a walk. Dress the baby for a long time and with a concert. During this time, he managed to sweat and you cheerfully stomp on the street. And then wonder why the child’s ears hurt?
6. First, dress yourself so that you just have to put on your shoes and put on your outer clothing. And only then dress up the baby as quickly as possible. As a rule, children do not like only hats; they react very calmly to other clothes. So hats or caps remain for later. We quickly dressed up, at the very end right before the exit - a hat and go on a walk!
7. Never plug the ear canal of a child, trying to prevent diseases of the ears! This is a completely self-sufficient organ that is cleaned without outside help. And if otitis nevertheless appeared, then all the more it is impossible to close the ear! Pus should freely go outside, and not accumulate inside.
8. Be careful to bathe your baby during the course of the illness. Water can enter the inner ear through a gap in the eardrum and cause even more trouble. A healthy ear does not end up getting liquid inside.
9. During treatment, put the child to sleep on a sore ear. So pus comes out easier. Just be careful, maybe the little one in this position just hurts. In this case, just raise the pad slightly higher.
10. Avoid the advice of relatives on the treatment of otitis media with folk remedies. Your baby may be allergic to any product. In this case, the score will go for seconds. You should consult your pediatrician in advance. He knows exactly what means are 100% safe for babies.

How to determine that a child’s ears hurt? Any mother knows her child well. A suspicious deviation will never elude her attention. Watch the baby, temper, try not to catch a cold and do not get sick.

Video: how to instill drops in a child’s ears