Middle Ear Infection
Symptoms of a middle ear infection
A middle ear infection can be extremely painful as the ear drum distends and sometimes ruptures with subsequent discharge. Once the ear discharges the pain is usually much improved Some children may become unsettled, especially during the night and often wake pulling and banging at their ears. Often the infection occurs in association with a cold and fever.
How to treat middle ear infections?
Not all children need antibiotics and some children will get better with just pain killers. In those patients who have a discharging ear antibiotic drops can be applied. However for this patients with severe pain and fever and who are young, antibiotics are appropriate.
What can go wrong if your child has a middle ear infection?
An infection in the middle ear can lead to an abscess (collection of pus) behind the ear. This is called mastoiditis and causes the ear to stick out. This is quite rare but needs urgent treatment even if the child seems relatively well.
Very rarely infections can travel to the brain or cause a vein between the ear and the brain to clot. Patients who have such complications usually have spiking fevers and are unwell.
