Otitis is an inflammatory disease of the hearing organ; most often, the middle ear located behind the eardrum (the auditory tube opening from the nasopharynx opens into its internal cavity). The outer ear, consisting of the auricle and the ear canal, is less inflamed.
Otitis externa
The external auditory meatus in children is short, slit-like and tapering, which facilitates the easy spread of bacteria. With infection of scratches and microtraumas of the skin of the ear canal (they appear due to scratching, playing, cleaning the ears, etc.), external otitis media 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 opening, and the release of a translucent liquid. Similar manifestations can occur with an internal boil (this condition can be suspected with an increase in parotid lymph nodes, sharp pain when chewing).
Otitis media
In the middle ear, acute otitis media in children occurs quite 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 fluid very easily pass from the nasopharynx into the middle ear, causing inflammation. The second point - in infants, the tympanic cavity is filled with a special jelly-like tissue, which gradually resolves, but additional internal chambers (cavities) are formed 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 transparent or purulent discharge from the ear (in the latter case, the trouble has already shaken, as the child has an opening in the eardrum). If a
purulent
otitis in a child is detected
, treatment must be started 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 sharp pain and crying. Against the background of intoxication and fever, this allows you to accurately determine the cause of the disease. In infants, pain in the ear will be manifested by screaming, sleep disturbance, refusal to eat, forced position (the baby is trying to lie on a sore ear); vomiting and diarrhea are less common.
Treatment of otitis media
The first action for symptoms of otitis media is to call a doctor. With early and timely access to medical help, it is usually possible to cure the baby without unpleasant manipulations and with the use of a minimum amount of medication. If external otitis media has developed in a child, his treatment will consist of local drugs (ointments, balms, including antiseptic), less commonly antibiotics.
With inflammation of the middle ear, in any case, antibiotics will be prescribed (tableted or in the form of syrups). The pain will be eliminated with
anti-inflammatory drugs, and patency of the auditory tube will be restored with vasoconstrictor drops. If purulent otitis media develops, the child’s treatment will necessarily include injectable antibiotics, a special ear toilet with antiseptic agents, removal of pus with turunds and other unpleasant manipulations. In the complex treatment of catarrhal (non-purulent) otitis media, dry heat (blue lamp), half-alcohol compresses, and later physiotherapy (UHF, UFO, etc.) are successfully used. However, it must be clearly understood that otitis cannot be cured with compresses and warming alone! But to "get enough" to purulent inflammation can be very simple.
If otitis media has developed in a child, the doctor should prescribe treatment, regardless of the form, cause, and severity of the disease. “Traditional medicine” and self-medication can quickly lead to serious complications, up to inflammation of the meninges.