What is otitis media?

Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear. The middle ear is the  area of the ear behind the eardrum. A tube connects the middle ear to  the back of the throat.

In young children, the tube that connects the middle ear to the back  of the throat is small, and often becomes clogged with fluid from the  nose and throat. If some of the fluid gets trapped behind the eardrum,  it can become infected.

What are the symptoms of otitis media?

• Fever, runny nose, coughing and sneezing

• Your child may pull, rub or scratch his ear.

• Irritability

• Decreased appetite

• Difficulty hearing

• Drainage from the infected ear This usually indicates the eardrum has developed a hole.  The hole should heal quickly once the infection is treated.

Home care

Your child should be evaluated in our office. Please call our office today for an appointment.

We may prescribe antibiotics. It is important to give the medicine on  time and in the correct amount until all the medicine is gone, even if  your child is feeling better.

If your child does not take all of the medicine the infection may return and be harder to treat.

Antibiotics occasionally can cause diarrhea. Do not stop the antibiotic before calling our office.

Use acetaminophen (Tylenol®, Tempra®, or Panadol®) or ibuprofen  (Advil®, Motrin®) for pain and discomfort. Avoid ibuprofen if your child  is dehydrated or unable to take anything by mouth.

Follow the package instructions to determine the appropriate dose by your child’s WEIGHT or age for acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Do not use aspirin because of the increased risk of Reye’s Syndrome with certain infections.

It may take five to six days of treatment for your child to show improvement.

Your child should have his ear rechecked after 2-3 weeks because persistent fluid behind the eardrum can reduce hearing.

Plane travel can be painful during or after a bout of otitis media.  Teach your child how to swallow during landings or try feeding formula  or peanut butter for children older than one year, who are not allergic  to peanut butter, during landings.

Do not prop up a bottle or send your child to bed with a bottle  because this can lead to more frequent ear infections, too much weight  gain, and cavities.

Warning signs – Call our office for advice if:

Your child vomits after taking the medicine, Call Our Office Now.

Your child still has a fever after three days of taking the medicine, Call Our Office Now.

Your child does not improve after three days of medication, call our office for an appointment.

Your child develops a drainage from the ear, call our office for an appointment.

You have any questions or concerns, or if you have any doubts about the severity of your child’s symptoms, Call Our Office Now.