Ear infections in babies: features

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What are ear infections in babies?

Have you ever seen a baby fuss all day long and seem uncomfortable with his ears?

This most likely indicates a problem with the baby's ear infection.

Ear infection is an inflammatory condition in the middle ear or what is called middle ear infection .

In fact, ear infections can happen to anyone from parents to babies.

However, launching from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorder (NIDC), children experience it more often than adults.

One of the ear infections that is usually known is otitis media.

In short, this ear infection can affect babies and children with similar symptoms.

Ear infections often cause inflammation and fluid clogging, making the eardrums swollen and appear reddish.

What causes ear infections in babies and children?

The cause of ear infections, including in infants and children, is usually due to a buildup of fluid at the back of the eardrum.

The buildup of fluid can be initiated due to the presence of bacteria or viruses so that it causes ear infections.

Quoting from the Baby Center, ear infections from viruses, bacteria, or both in babies and children can occur during a cold.

This is because the colds experienced by babies and children result in mucus that clogs the Eustachian tubes.

The Eustachian tubes of babies and children are shorter

Yes, in the ear there is a channel that connects the middle ear to the throat.

This channel is called the Eustachian tube.

The function of the Eustachian tube is to ventilate, drain fluid, and block the entry of fluid from the throat to the middle ear.

Ventilation is used to keep the air pressure in the middle ear always the same as the outside air pressure.

In infants and children, the tube is shorter, wider, and more horizontal than the tube in adults.

That is why, fluids from the throat and ear that contain bacteria can pass easily and reach the middle ear, causing ear infections.

What are the symptoms of ear infection in babies?

As mentioned earlier, ear infections can occur due to fluid buildup.

Apart from being caused by other underlying diseases, swimming activity can also cause ear infections.

If symptoms appear that indicate an ear infection, you should immediately take your little one to the doctor to find out the right diagnosis and treatment.

If your baby is fussy, cries all the time, and seems to be tugging at their ears, it could be that your baby has an ear infection.

In babies, ear infections can be difficult to spot because they can't tell how they feel.

As a parent, you need to recognize what signs in babies and children if they have an ear infection.

Various signs and symptoms of ear infections in infants and children that can be considered are as follows:

1. Fever

Ear infections do occur when a child has another illness, such as a cold, flu, or sore throat.

This disease can make a child have a fever. However, when an ear infection occurs, the child will experience a fever that is quite high, which is around 38 degrees Celsius.

2. Ear pain

Inflammation of the ear by bacteria causes swelling and pain in the ear. This is the main symptom of ear infection.

For children who cannot speak, they will usually continue to fuss and tug at their ears because of pain.

However, for children who can speak, they will complain of pain in the ear.

3. Decreased appetite

The inflamed eustachian tube causes pain in the ear and can affect the appetite of babies and children.

The movement of chewing and swallowing food causes high pressure in the ear so that pain appears.

This is why babies and children have a reduced appetite.

4. Difficulty sleeping

When sick, the child's body becomes weaker so they will choose to lie down to sleep.

It's just that a child with an ear infection will have difficulty sleeping.

Lying your body to the side, precisely on the part of the infected ear, causes pressure to the middle ear.

This condition makes ear pain more painful.

This will make it difficult for the child to sleep because his sleeping position is more limited.

5. Difficulty hearing and maintaining balance

The sound waves that the ear can hear are moving through the air.

The mucus buildup in the ears disturbs the Eustachian tube to regulate this air balance.

When mucus builds up, sound waves that should reach the middle ear are blocked.

This is why ear infections in babies and children make him feel bindeng and unresponsive to sounds.

Then, the middle ear which is responsible for maintaining the balance of the body is also disturbed.

As a result of inflammation, the pressure on the labyrinth in the middle ear becomes greater, causing a loss of balance.

This condition will make the child walk unsteadily or find it difficult to maintain his body position properly.

6. Discharge from the ear

The Eustachian tube in the ear does give off an unpleasant odor.

This can be smelled when you clean the wax in the ears of babies and children.

However, when an ear infection occurs, the bad smell can be smelled even though it is not being cleaned.

This is the first sign of abnormal fluid in the ear.

Over time, a yellowish-white discharge will come out of the ear.

This fluid is pus, which is a collection of white blood cells that fail to attack pantogens.

However, these symptoms are rare and may go away when the infection is treated.

7. Tugging at the ear

The habit of tugging at the ears that may have been done recently by babies and children can be caused by various reasons.

One of the reasons when babies and children pull on their ears is an ear infection.

This is usually done because the baby and child feel pain, pain, or discomfort in one or both ears.

As a result, babies and children try to reduce pain in the ears by tugging or hitting them.

How do you deal with ear infections in babies?

When symptoms of ear infection occur in babies and children, you should immediately take them to the doctor.

The doctor will provide drugs in the form of antibiotics if needed.

If the infection continues, it is necessary to perform surgery in the form of installing a ventilation pipe (ventilation tube) in the eardrum to remove trapped ear fluid and promote airflow.

In addition, you can do the following at home to help reduce symptoms of ear infections in babies and children:

1. Warm compress

To reduce pain, you can apply warm compresses to the ears of babies and children.

Do this for about 10-15 minutes.

2. Giving acetaminophen

If your baby is six months or older, you can give acetaminophen to reduce pain.

However, still follow the instructions given by the doctor and read the instructions regarding administration.

3. Give the baby enough to drink

Give the baby enough water to swallow to help drain the fluid that is in the Eustachian tube.

4. Raise the baby's head

When the baby is sleeping, make sure the baby's head is lifted using a pillow.

This can help reduce excess fluid in the Eustachian fallopian tubes.

What are the consequences if ear infections in babies are not treated promptly?

A person's hearing function is affected by vibrations in the eardrum and the structures involved in the middle ear.

Repeated infections that damage the eardrum due to the continuous accumulation of fluid can affect the vibrations in the eardrum.

Ear infection treatment is important to do immediately, especially when the baby is learning to talk.

Hearing loss can cause delays in speaking or language which in turn can affect their performance in school.

How to prevent ear infections in babies?

Here are some ways to prevent ear infections in babies and children:

• Breastfeeding breast milk for babies. The risk of ear infections decreases due to the presence of antibodies in breast milk.
• Make sure your baby sits when he is drinking milk.
• Prevent colds in your baby.
• Avoid babies from allergies. Allergies can cause the production of fluid that can block the eustachian tube, increasing the risk of ear infections.
• Don't be exposed to cigarettes. Babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher risk of developing ear infections.
• Give immunizations. Take your baby to the doctor for the flu vaccine and pneumococcal .

After making efforts to treat ear infections in babies and children, usually your little one will recover in a few days.

However, immediately consult a doctor if symptoms do not improve. It is likely that your child will need oral antibiotics to treat an infection in the ear.