Earache in Children

Earache is a common problem among children that can cause severe pain and discomfort. It is essential to know how to alleviate the pain and provide comfort to your little ones. There are several ways to help ease the pain, including home remedies, over-the-counter medications, and prescription drugs. The symptoms of earache can be varied, ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain. Sometimes, it may also be accompanied by fever. Take a look at the article to learn about it in detail.

Causes

Earaches in children can be caused by various factors, including:

• Ear canal infection (outer side of the eardrum)

• Glue ear (accumulation of fluid in the middle ear)

• Something stuck in the ear, like earwax or another object

• Injury to the inside of the ear (such as a scrape caused by a cotton bud)

• Infections in the throat, like tonsillitis or quinsy

Additionally, some children may develop a build-up of mucus in their middle ear after a cold, which usually goes away on its own within a few days. It's worth noting that pain from other body parts, such as dental problems or teething, can sometimes manifest as ear pain.

One common condition associated with earache is glue ear, which occurs when the middle ear becomes filled with fluid. This can cause a sensation of stuffiness or muffled hearing, leading to earaches. Several treatments are available for earache, including home remedies, over-the-counter medications, and prescription drugs. Similarly, specific treatments are available for glue ear, such as antibiotics, nasal sprays, and surgery. If your child experiences severe pain, high fever, or any other concerning symptoms, it is always best to seek medical attention. A doctor can diagnose properly and recommend the best treatment for your child's needs.

Symptoms

Ear pain in children is often the result of an ear infection which can affect the outer and middle ear (behind the eardrum). Earache can be constant or intermittent with a sharp, dull or burning sensation in one or both ears. There are several common symptoms relating to ear infections, such as:

• Dulled hearing, often lasting for a few days

• Fever

• Feeling sick or vomiting

• In case of babies, irritability as they cannot speak

With some infections, a child's eardrum can also burst. If this is the case, ear discharge in form of water and infected mucus will often occur for a few days. A burst eardrum often relieves the pain that your child has been feeling. This usually heals within a few weeks after the infection has fully cleared.

What Is Glue Ear?

Glue ear is also called Otitis Media with Effusion (OME). This is a condition where sticky fluid builds up in the middle ear. This fluid build-up prevents parts of the middle ear from moving freely, resulting in mild to moderate hearing loss. The middle ear, located behind the eardrum, consists of three bones that transmit sound to the inner ear. When fluid accumulates, it blocks the passage of sound vibrations, causing hearing loss. While glue ears can cause temporary delays in speech and development in younger children, some of the associated problems tend to improve on their own within a short period.

Treatment Options

Your child's earache treatment will depend on the specific ear problem he/she is experiencing. Bacterial outer ear infections require antibiotics; boils may heal by themselves. Damaged ears from cotton bud use may heal independently, but eardrum damage can take weeks. OTC medicines can help manage symptoms of most ear infections.

A plug of hard earwax can also cause earache. If this is the case with your little one, you mustn't try to remove this yourself with a cotton bud. This can push the wax further inside and may also burst the eardrum. Your doctor or pharmacist can recommend an eardrop that will soften the wax in your child's ear to help it fall out naturally.

If your child has earache and finds it painful to swallow, it could be due to tonsillitis or an abscess on the back of his/her throat. This is known as quinsy. It is a rare complication of tonsillitis that should be diagnosed and treated quickly to prevent the infection from spreading elsewhere in your child's body and to prevent any possible breathing difficulties.

Most tonsillitis cases do not require any medical treatment. However, bacterial tonsillitis may require a course of oral antibiotics.

In case of glue ear, it is common for doctors to avoid earache treatment unless it persists for a long time. This is because approximately 50% of all cases tend to improve within three months without medical intervention, and roughly 90% of all cases get better on their own within a year.

When to Call the Doctor

Ear infections are a common ailment and often resolve independently without complications. However, if your child experiences earache for more than three days or repeatedly suffers from earache, it is advisable to consult a GP. You should seek immediate medical attention if:

• your child becomes sick

• your child suffers from a high fever 

• your baby starts feeling hot and shivery

• there is swelling around the ear

• there is a discharge of fluid from the ear

• there is hearing loss or a change in hearing

• there is some object stuck in the ear

• your child is below two years of age and has earache in both ears