How to know if the baby has an earache?

 How to know if the baby has an earache?

Identifying what the baby is feeling is a challenge for all moms and dads. Even if they're not first-timers, it's a tall order.

When does the baby start crying with knowing exactly what he is feeling? It could be hunger, colic, the tooth that is being born, earache and several other possibilities.

In this text, we are going to talk about the latter, about earaches and how to know if the baby has an earache ?

Let's start?

What can cause ear pain?

In babies, earaches are a relatively common situation, especially in children up to 6 years old.

This discomfort is often caused by otitis , an inflammation or infection in the ear. Otitis can be caused by water, which enters the baby's ear, or by the multiplication of viruses, bacteria or fungi inside the middle ear, which often comes from cold and flu secretions. 

There are also other common illnesses that can cause pain in the baby, such as Mumps, Measles, Pneumonia, Flu or Virosis.

Attention: otitis is accompanied by a cold or other respiratory infection that causes secretion production, and treatment should be guided by the pediatrician or otolaryngologist. 

What are the symptoms of ear pain in baby?

As we commented at the beginning, although it is often difficult to know why the baby is crying, earaches can be identified based on some symptoms.

excessive crying

Let's imagine that the baby is crying a lot and you've done everything you can to calm him down, but nothing has worked. She looked at all possible reasons for crying and found nothing. It could be some kind of ear infection. In this case, the ideal is to take the child to the pediatrician or otolaryngologist.

Here on the blog we have already talked about when we should take the baby to the pediatrician. Check it out !

When the baby cries and puts his hands on his ear

This baby behavior is common when he has an earache . Therefore, it is important to be aware of this type of action. Watch if he repeats this movement and if there is any discomfort in the place.

Baby nods head repeatedly

When the baby cries and shakes his head, it could mean that he has an earache. This happens because it is a symptom related to the ears. Generally, the child makes this movement to reduce the pain;

Baby does not want to breastfeed and loses appetite

When the child stops eating, parents and guardians need to be aware. Babies who don't feed are usually feeling some discomfort, and that discomfort could be ear pain.

When the baby has trouble laying his head on one side

This behavior is quite common when there is an earache in the baby. If the child avoids lying down or cries when lying on a specific side of the head, this could indicate pain in the area.

If the baby has any of these symptoms, do not hesitate and take him to the doctor. When he is examined and treatment started, the better for him, as the pain will go away.

How the treatment is done

If the doctor actually examines the baby and checks something in the ear, he will start treatment so that the discomfort goes away.

Important to remember! Taking medication for the baby without a medical prescription can even make the situation worse. In general, treatments include analgesics, antipyretics, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and decongestants.

There are home remedies that can help. How to iron a diaper, with the iron and after warm, put it close to the ear. Be careful with the temperature of the diaper, so that it is not too hot.

During the entire treatment, it is important to give the baby plenty of fluids and soft foods, such as soups, purées, yogurts and mashed fruits. Always following the doctor's instructions. This care is important, because ear pain is often related to sore throat and the child may feel pain when swallowing, and the less irritation there is in the throat, the better he will eat and the faster he will recover. 

At the family health medical center you can make an appointment with a pediatrician or otorhinolaryngologist without having to wait too long. Just click here .