Internal and external otitis in the child, treatment

Otitis is an inflammatory disease of the organ of hearing;most often - the middle ear, located behind the eardrum (in the inner cavity of the auditory tube opens, coming from the nasopharynx). Rarely inflamed outer ear, consisting of the auricle and the ear canal.

External otitis media

The external auditory canal in children is short,slit-shaped and tapering, which contributes to the easy spread of bacteria. When infections of scratches and microtraumas of the skin of the ear canal (they appear due to scratching, playing, ear cleaning, etc.), external otitis develops. In a child, his symptoms will be quite characteristic: fever up to 39 degrees, intoxication, redness of the skin of the auricle, swelling and narrowing of the auditory orifice, secretion of a translucent liquid. Similar manifestations can occur with an internal furuncle (this condition can be suspected with an increase in the parotid lymph nodes, sharp pain when chewing).

Internal otitis

In the middle ear, acute otitis in children occursquite often due to a number of anatomical features inherent in the neonatal period and early age. First of all, the auditory (or, as it is also called, Eustachian) tube in young children is wide and short. Because of this, microorganisms, the smallest pieces of food and liquid very easily get from the nasopharynx into the middle ear, causing inflammation. The second point is that in infants the tympanum is filled with a special jelly-like tissue, which gradually resolves, but this creates additional internal chambers (cavities) in which the infection develops “successfully”. With age, these anatomical features disappear, and the risk of otitis media decreases. Inflammation of the middle ear will also give a fever and intoxication, less often - there will be a clear or purulent discharge from the ear (in the latter case, trouble has already come, as the child has a hole in the eardrum). If a

purulent otitis media was detected in the child, treatmentit is necessary to start immediately, for which you need to immediately call an ambulance. The presence of any form of otitis is quite easy to check by pressing on the tragus, which always causes a sharp pain and crying. Against the background of intoxication and fever, this allows you to accurately determine the cause of the disease. In infants the pain in the ear will show up with a cry, sleep disturbance, refusal of food, forced position (the baby tries to lie on the sore ear); rarely vomiting and diarrhea.

Otitis treatment

The first action for otitis symptoms is to call a doctor.With early and timely treatment for medical care, it is usually possible to cure the baby without unpleasant manipulations and with the use of a minimum amount of drugs. If an external otitis media has developed in a child, its treatment will consist of local remedies (ointments, balms, including antiseptic), less often - antibiotics.

In case of inflammation of the middle ear, antibiotics will be prescribed in any case (tablets or syrups). Pain will be eliminated with
anti-inflammatory drugs and patencyauditory tubes restore vasoconstrictor drops. If purulent otitis media has developed, the child’s treatment will necessarily include injectable antibiotics, a special ear toilet with antiseptic agents, removal of pus with turunda and other unpleasant manipulations. In the complex treatment of catarrhal (non-purulent) otitis, dry heat (blue lamp), half-alcoholic compresses, and later, physiotherapy (UHF, UV, etc.) are successfully used. However, it must be clearly understood that otitis cannot be cured with compresses and warming alone! But to “see out” to purulent inflammation can be very simple.

If a child has had an otitis, the treatment shouldappoint a doctor, regardless of the form, cause and severity of the disease. "Traditional medicine" and self-treatment can quickly lead to serious complications, even inflammation of the meninges.