If you’ve ever been a kid at a pool party, there’s a decent chance you’ve encountered…the dreaded ear infection!

It’s likely you’re not a child any longer — that, in fact, you’re an adult looking up information on ear infections because you suspect your child has one. Maybe you’ve identified an earache and now you’re searching for information and relief. Whatever your situation, Granite Bay Urgent Care (now open!) has you covered.  

We’ll cover what to look for when it comes to ear infections, what causes them, and what you can do about it.

How do you know if your child has an ear infection?

If you have a baby or a toddler at home, they can’t outright talk about their symptoms or the way they’re feeling. But there are some telltale signs of an ear infection that can help you identify one before you and your child lose too much sleep. According to ENT Health, symptoms to look for include:

• Excessive crying and fussiness
• Pulling at the ear
• Fluid or draining from the ear
• Loss of balance or vertigo 
• Trouble picking up on quiet sounds

 

What causes an ear infection? 

To understand what causes an ear infection, it might be helpful to understand the ear itself.

The ears are connected to the nose and throat by way of the Eustachian tube. At the top sits the inner ear; further out, the middle ear — where your eardrum sits — and beyond that is the outer ear with the auditory canal. The middle ear is where ear infections occur. Bacteria, usually from a cold or a sore throat, spread into the hospitable area. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD):

“If the upper respiratory infection is bacterial, these same bacteria may spread to the middle ear; if the upper respiratory infection is caused by a virus, such as a cold, bacteria may be drawn to the microbe-friendly environment and move into the middle ear as a secondary infection. Because of the infection, fluid builds up behind the eardrum.”

What is the treatment for ear infections in children?

The tried-and-true method for clearing up an ear infection is a round of amoxicillin. It’s an antibiotic, one that’s been trusted by pharmacists and physicians alike for decades. A combination of amoxicillin and a pain reliever like ibuprofen are commonly prescribed together to relieve your child’s symptoms.

Amoxicillin is provided by prescription only, which means you’ll want to book a visit with us so we can confirm that the pain your little one is experiencing is an easily solvable problem. Once the treatment regimen has started, you can expect relief within 7-10 days. 

Click here to learn a bit about our team or call (916) 258-2751 to make an appointment with a member of our team at Granite Bay Urgent Care. We’re here when you – and your children – need us!