Ear Infections:

So, we all know that ear infections are one of the things that most of our kids get and suffer with. It can be so frustrating! I know a couple times with my little boy, I had just finished taking him to his doctor checkup and a few days later, he would be pulling and rubbing his ear. I would think “He couldn’t possibly have an ear infection…the doctor just checked his ears!” Sure enough, after a day of crying and fevers, we went to the instacare and there was an ear infection. The doctor at the instacare told me that sometimes ear infections can come on quickly. Fortunately for us, it was a bacterial infection so we received antibiotics, but if it is viral, there isn't much you can do besides wait it out. So how can we tell at home if our little one has an ear infection or not? Here are a few things we can check for:

*Check to see if your child has a temperature. Sometimes fevers will get up to 101 or 102. My little boy had one reading at 104.2 with his ear infection. This can happen.

*Watch to see if your child is rubbing or pulling at one of their ears. This is a sign that there may be some irritation, pain, or drainage.

*Trouble sleeping

*Agitation

If your child is getting frequent ear infections, it may be related to them drinking bottles while lying down. When fluids go through the mouth and down the throat, there is a chance that the fluid can get stuck in the ear canal causing inflammation and infection. The best thing to do is hold the baby at least at 45 degree angle or almost upright so that the fluid goes directly down the throat.

If you baby is presenting with the above symptoms, then what should you do? Well, here are some suggestions for you to do at home before heading to the doctor:

*Try starting out with treating your child’s fever. You can use over the counter Tylenol or Acetaminophen unless your doctor has told you otherwise for your child specifically. Tylenol will reduce the fever. You can call your pediatrician and ask about specific dosages to give your child. Your pediatrician may also suggest use of over the counter Ibuprofen. This will help to reduce the fever and pain of your child.

*Try applying a warm wash cloth to the child’s ear as this will probably help decrease some pain and give your child some comfort.

The Mayo Clinic states that symptoms of an ear infection usually improve within one to two days and most infections clear up on their own within one to two weeks without treatment. That being said, you can wait and see if your child’s symptoms clear up on their own with Tylenol an home remedies, but if symptoms worsen such as a fever above 104 or inconsolable behavior/agitation, then you should not wait the 24-48 hours and you should contact your pediatrician.