The Children ear problems

Ear problems in children may lead to serious damage if |left untreated. Prompt response is the best prevention.

EAR pain is usually caused by infection of the outer or middle ear. Left untreated, ear infections may lead to pus building up behind the ear drum and within the middle ear, causing it to burst and result in hearing impairment.

Inability to hear can affect your child’s speech development, so do take ear infections seriously.

Outer ear infection

The skin on the outer ear canal becomes inflamed, swollen and red if your child has an outer ear infection. He will also experience pain and itchiness inside the ear.

The infection may have been caused by scratches or frequent swimming in chlorinated or unclean water. If your child has eczema, he is likely to get an outer ear infection if water gets into his ear.

The solution:
1. Take your child to a doctor and give him the recommended dose of pain killer to ease the pain.
2. Do not let water get into your child’s ear during baths. Use a sponge to wash his hair.
3. No swimming until the |infection clears up.

Middle ear infection

Most middle ear infections occur with or shortly after a cold. The cold virus spreads from the nose and the throat to the middle ear via a tube called the Eustachian tube.

There may be severe ear pain with rubbing or tugging at the ear, high fever, loss of appetite or even partial deafness.

Discharge from the ear usually indicates that the ear drum has perforated.

The consequences of middle ear infection are persistent ear discharge, impaired hearing and even meningitis (inflammation of the coverings of the brain).


The solution:
1. Consult a doctor as soon as you suspect middle ear infection or if there is a discharge.
2. Do not probe his ear if there is a discharge; just use a clean handkerchief on the ear.
3. Let him rest his head on the affected side so that the discharge can flow out.
4. Do not go swimming.

Preventing ear infections

Is your child prone to ear infections? You may want to discourage him from swimming for a while.

Also, apply menthol drops or rubs when he has a cold to unclog his nasal passages. This cuts down the risk of an infection spreading to the ear. Alternatively, give him nasal decongestants obtained from his doctor.

Another cause of ear infections is the pneumococcus bacteria. Your child can be protected from this infection through immunisation.

(by Datuk Dr ZULKIFLI ISMAIL)