Types Of Ear Infection
When we are parents, we are concerned about any discomfort that our babies may present. That’s because sometimes they don’t know how to indicate the kind of discomfort they’re feeling, especially in their ears. For this reason, it is important to know the types of ear infections that exist and their symptoms in order to identify them quickly.
There are two types of ear infections that can affect your baby: otitis media and otitis externa. The first affects the middle ear by the accumulation of fluid behind the eardrum due to colds. On the other hand, the second causes inflammation of the external ear canal due to water ingress or swab injuries.
How do you know if a baby or child has an ear infection?
It is essential that parents be very attentive to the child’s attitudes and also to the sign of any change in their behavior, either because they started touching their ears in a different way, or for other factors, such as unpleasant odors that we may notice in the ears.
In addition, other signs, such as loss of appetite, crying, flu and discouragement, among others, can be indicators that something is wrong.
The types of ear infections that affect babies can be acute – spontaneous and painful – or chronic – that last a long time. These infections are common in infants and children because their Eustachian tubes are easily clogged.
Symptoms that may appear
When a child has some type of ear infection, he or she starts to have a variety of symptoms that can alert the parents. For this reason, it is essential to consult a pediatrician who can indicate the treatment to be followed. These are the most common symptoms:
- High or medium temperatures: as fever and colds often cause ear infections.
- Ringing in the ears: If babies are touching their ears excessively, appear to be irritated, or cry while doing so, it is likely that their ears are hurting.
- Vomiting or diarrhea: A virus that causes an ear infection can affect the stomach tract.
- Loss of appetite: there is a general malaise caused by the pain the baby is feeling in the ear.
- Yellow or whitish liquid discharge: this is not common for all babies, but it is a sure sign of infection.
- Bad smell in the ears: can be noticed when hugging the baby.
- Ear pain: especially when the baby goes to sleep, as he feels more pain when he is lying down.
Common Causes of Types of Ear Infection
The most common cause of otitis media in infants and children is fluid entering the middle ear from a cold. Thus, when these fluids cannot exit through the Eustachian tube – because it is clogged – this is the most suitable place for an infection to occur, which gives rise to inflammation, pain and fever.
On the other hand, external otitis occurs in children because of water entering the ear while swimming, which is worse when cleaning the ears with force using cotton swabs.
When swimming, the ears are exposed to a lot of moisture and for an extended period of time. Also, when the cotton swabs are used forcefully, inflammation of the external ear canal occurs.
How can we prevent these infections?
The first step will be to keep the baby up to date with all vaccines. They help prevent some illnesses that can cause an ear infection caused by bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae or Moraxella catarrhalis , or by viruses such as rhinoviruses, influenza viruses and Adenoviridae , among others.
Furthermore, it is essential to breastfeed the baby for at least the first six months of life. Experts point out that, through breast milk, mothers transfer antibodies that strengthen the baby’s immune system. Therefore, this helps to decrease the likelihood of developing ear infections.
Lastly, the baby far away should not be exposed to cigarette smoke. Children of adult smokers are more likely to get an ear infection and have hearing problems compared to children whose parents do not smoke.
When to consult an expert?
We should consult the pediatrician for an ear exam at the first sign of the baby’s discomfort. One of the reasons we should take him to the doctor is to determine what type of ear infection he is having.
Thus, the necessary treatment can be started, depending on the case. Obviously, it is not appropriate to carry out any type of treatment without the approval of a professional.
Finally, it is important to monitor the infection, through medical check-ups, in order to make sure that the pathology has disappeared and that the eardrum is healthy. This is critical because a severe or untreated infection can perforate the baby’s eardrum and consequently cause hearing loss.
