The most common purulent otitis media in children. Moreover, in most cases it is recurrent. There are certain factors that can cause the development of otitis media in a child. It can be frequent infectious diseases, enlarged adenoids, or a weakening of the body's defense system.
Signs of pathology should be the basis for contacting a specialist. The doctor will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment for purulent otitis media in the child, aimed not only at eliminating the otitis media, but also the causes that caused it.
Description
Otitis refers to the inflammatory process in the middle part of the ear, which enters the auditory system. Its main part is the eardrum, which is a small space in the temporal bone, which is responsible for processing the sound vibrations entering the ear.
Purulent otitis media in children can cause pathologies in the development of the child's speech functions. In some cases, the disease can disrupt psychoemotional development, reduce susceptibility to information and significantly underestimate the quality of life in general.
A similar form of otitis media is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the ear, accompanied by the production and accumulation of characteristic secretions. Purulent otitis media is somewhat more dangerous than catarrhal, as it can lead to complications such as hearing loss or intracranial changes. If a child has been ill with this form of otitis media, then it is imperative to check the hearing and carefully consider any changes in the psycho-emotional plane.
Causes
The most common causes of purulent otitis media in children are inflammation in the nasopharynx, chronic rhinitis, adenoids and SARS. These diseases lead to the fact that excess mucus accumulates in the nose.
When the child intensively blows his nose, the mucus penetrates the Eustachian tube and blocks it. This leads to a lack of ventilation, and subsequently to infection and inflammation of the ear mucosa.
When the accumulated inflammatory fluid is released, severe discomfort, soreness and hearing impairment occur. At this stage, pathogens begin to multiply actively. As a result, after a couple of hours or several days, pus begins to stand out from the ear.
The well-being of the child is significantly worse. Body temperature may rise. At the same time, the intensity of pain in the ear increases. The eardrum may burst under pus pressure.
Why exactly the child?
There are several reasons why they are diagnosed with purulent otitis media in children, and not in adults. These include the following:
- The anatomical feature of the Eustachian tube in a child is its narrowness, which causes its easy clogging with mucus.
- Enlarged adenoids are most often found in children. Similar formations can also squeeze the Eustachian tube, which narrows its lumen.
- Children are more susceptible to acute viral infections than adults.
Provocative factors
Also, the risk of developing bilateral purulent otitis media in a child significantly increases some additional factors, for example:
- Vitamin deficiency in the body.
- Hypothermia.
- Long-term use of the drug included in the antibiotic group.
- Liquid in the auricle.
- Reduced immunity.
Purulent otitis media in a child: symptoms
The development of a purulent form of otitis media in childhood is characterized by severe soreness in the ear. A child with such an ailment tends to show anxiety, tearfulness. The nature of the pain can be different: aching, throbbing and cutting.
Other symptoms:
- Discomfort in the ear increases significantly at night, which can lead to sleep disturbance. In addition, often the following symptoms appear in children:
- Weakness of the whole organism.
- Pallor of the skin.
- Hearing impairment.
- Purulent discharge with impurities of blood.
- Elevated body temperature.
Symptoms of purulent otitis media in a child should be determined in a timely manner. It is easier to identify pathology in older children, who can show exactly where it hurts.
In newborns
With newborns, things are much more complicated. Purulent otitis media can lead to the fact that the baby will constantly cry, practically not sleep. In addition, the following symptoms appear:
- Loss of appetite.
- The appearance of a gag reflex.
- The child cannot lie on his side from the side of the affected ear.
If the temperature rises amid complaints of pain in the ear, an ambulance should be called, since such a combination is very dangerous for the child because of the risk of complications.
Diagnostics and types
The specialist relies in determining the diagnosis of patient complaints, his anamnesis, as well as the results of otoscopy. As a rule, such types of examinations are prescribed as:
- Inspection, endoscopic examination of the nose, nasopharynx and ear cavity after cleansing the canals.
- Vestibulological and audiological examination.
- Valsalva maneuver. During the manipulation, the exudate is pushed into the ear canal.
- The study of secret in the laboratory. Its purpose is to assess the susceptibility of harmful microorganisms to antimicrobial agents.
- Assessing the condition of the patient’s immune system.
- X-ray and computed tomography.
There are several types of purulent form of otitis media in children. Each of them is characterized by certain features.
Acute - it is characterized by severe soreness and accumulation of purulent discharge in the ear cavity. In the absence of timely therapy, there is a risk of the disease becoming chronic. With this type of otitis, the eardrum is affected. A gradual decrease in auditory function in the child is also observed.
Bilateral - in this case both ears are exposed to inflammatory infection. This species is very dangerous for the health of the child, especially the newborn. The vast majority of otitis media in this category of children are bilateral. With age, the hearing aid develops, and the number of otitis media decreases.
Recurrent - this species is characterized by re-infection after a short period of time after recovery. Most often this occurs due to improperly selected therapy or violation of the instructions of the attending physician. Relapses of otitis media are not excluded with enlarged adenoids.
Purulent otitis media in a child: treatment
To avoid health hazards, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner and undergo an examination. The specialist selects a treatment regimen taking into account the patient's complaints and the stage of the manifestation of the disease. The duration of therapy also depends on this.
Antibacterial drugs are prescribed for newborn children with purulent otitis media. Depending on the age of the patient and the type of disease, antibiotics may be prescribed in tablet or suspension form. Most often, drugs from the penicillin group are prescribed, especially in combination with clavulanic acid.
How much is purulent otitis media treated in children? It depends on the severity of the disease. On average, the disease goes away in a week.
The most effective drugs are: Amoxicillin, Amoxiclav, Augmentin, etc. If penicillins are ineffective or contraindicated, cephalosporins such as Ceftriaxone, Cefazolin, etc. are preferred.
If these drugs do not give a result or an allergy is detected on them, specialists prescribe drugs from the macrolide group. These are such drugs as Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, etc. The antibiotic for purulent otitis in children should be selected by a doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable.
With purulent otitis media, a child must be prescribed drops in the nose, narrowing vessels. They relieve swelling from the nasal mucosa and widen the lumen of the auditory tube. It can be Otrivin, Galazolin, Naftizin, etc. In combination with drops for purulent otitis in children, antihistamines are also prescribed.
If the pain is intense, anti-inflammatory drugs based on ibuprofen or paracetamol are prescribed. They also have an antipyretic effect. Both suppositories and syrups can be used.
If perforation of the eardrum has not been identified, drops are prescribed in the ear. Otipax has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. The drug is prescribed even for infants.
In the chronic form of purulent otitis media, immunomodulators and antiviral drugs, such as Viferon, are indicated.
So purulent otitis media is treated in children.
Prevention
If the disease has taken a relapsing form, then the factors affecting the appearance of purulent otitis media should be eliminated. Most often, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system, for this immunomodulating and vitamin therapy is carried out.
When remission occurs, a procedure is performed for blowing off the auditory tubes and massage the eardrum. To eliminate sinusitis, puncture can be performed. If the cause of frequent relapses is enlarged adenoids, the doctor may prescribe their removal.
It must be remembered that the effects of purulent otitis media in children are very dangerous. Meningitis and sepsis may develop.
To avoid the development of a purulent form of otitis media, special preventive measures are carried out. They are as follows:
- Strengthening the immune system.
- Hardening.
- Prevention of infections of viral origin.
- Balanced diet.
- Timely treatment of diseases of the nasopharynx.
Purulent otitis media belongs to the category of dangerous diseases that affect auditory function. Therefore, with complaints of pain in the ear, you should show the child to a specialist and not self-medicate.