- Symptoms of ear infections, such as restlessness during the night and ear pain, may be similar to cold symptoms, so an accurate diagnosis requires a doctor’s assessment.
- Painkillers and anaesthetic ear drops can alleviate the symptoms of ear infection, but if the condition of your child does not improve or the child has a high fever, you should consult a doctor.
- Good hand hygiene, vaccinations and the use of xylitol can prevent ear infections. In recurrent cases, consultation with a specialist and possible insertion of ear tubes may be necessary.
A child's ear infection can be difficult to identify, as its symptoms, such as restlessness at night and crying, are also common symptoms of a common cold. Ear pain is not always a direct sign of ear infection, as it can also be caused, for example, by eustachian tube dysfunction or pharyngitis. A diagnosis requires a doctor’s assessment, and you should not try to diagnose it yourself at home.
Symptoms of ear infection may vary according to the age and type of infection. Typical ear infection symptoms include:
- Ear pain: This is one of the most common symptoms and can be throbbing or sharp and often gets worse when lying down.
- Restlessness at night and waking up: Particularly in young children, ear pain can cause restless sleep and waking up at night.
- Fever: Ear infection may raise the body temperature, which can cause the child to have a fever.
- Hearing loss: Infection can cause temporary hearing loss in the infected ear.
- Fluid from the ear: If the eardrum is ruptured, clear or cloudy pus may leak from the ear.
- Irritability and restlessness: A child may be more irritable or restless than usual due to ear pain.
- Runny nose and cough: Ear infection is often associated with respiratory track infections, so runny nose and cough are common symptoms.
- Loss of appetite and vomiting: In young children, ear pain can affect appetite and cause nausea or vomiting.
If you suspect an ear infection, it is important to seek medical attention so that the child receives the correct diagnosis and necessary treatment.
Ear infections are sometimes treated with antibiotics, but often they heal without treatment. If antibiotic therapy is not initiated, the symptoms of infection will be treated with painkillers and monitored for a few days. Especially in older children who can tell about their pain, treatment without an antibiotic may be a good option, as long as the recovery is well monitored.
The infection is treated symptomatically with painkillers and good hydration. The child may feel better with nasal spray, nose drops or saline spray, even if they do not speed up the healing of the infection itself.
Painkillers can relieve the symptoms. Anaesthetic ear drops can also help with pain management. If the condition of your child does not improve or the child has a high fever, you should seek medical attention. The ear infection can be reliably diagnosed at the doctor’s appointment and, if necessary, antibiotic treatment can be started.
Symptomatic treatment:
- Painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can relieve pain and reduce fever.
- Anaesthetic ear drops can provide quick relief from ear pain.
- Nasal sprays, nose drops or saline sprays can make you feel better, even if they do not speed up the healing of the infection.
Antibiotic therapy:
- Sometimes, especially in bacterial ear infections, antibiotics can be prescribed.
- Antibiotic therapy is not always started immediately, but the situation can be monitored for a few days, especially if the child is older and capable of describing the symptoms.
Recurring ear infections:
- If your child has recurrent ear infections, inserting ear tubes is one alternative to aid middle ear ventilation and prevent recurrence of infections.
- In addition, the size of the pharyngeal tonsils can be checked and, if necessary, removed, even if it does not directly prevent ear infections.
Ear tubes:
- Insertion of ear tubes is a common procedure that is usually done under general anaesthesia.
- During the procedure, a small incision is first made in the eardrum, secretion is sucked out and the tube is inserted.
- The procedure is quick and the child can return home on the same day.
- The success of the tubing is monitored by follow-up appointments.
Preventing the spread of cold viruses is the key to avoiding ear infections. Hand hygiene, influenza vaccine and pneumococcal vaccination are effective ways to protect yourself against ear infection. The risk of ear infection can also be reduced by quitting parental smoking and using xylitol regularly.
Ear pain often starts at night and treatment does not require immediate medical attention . It is therefore possible to postpone the visit until the morning, for example.
In case of prolonged illness, it is advisable to see a doctor who will see if the illness has caused a discharging ear infection. It can sometimes be followed by the development of a so-called glue ear, where the middle ear accumulates resilient secretion, which causes difficulties in hearing.
Examining an ear may feel unpleasant to a young child, but it is harmless and usually painless. The adult just needs to hold the child firmly in their arms so that the doctor can quickly look into the child’s ear.
The doctor can assess whether antibiotic treatment is needed or whether symptomatic treatment is sufficient.
Ear infection is an inflammatory condition of the inner parts of the ear which can affect the middle ear (otitis media) or inner ear (otitis interna). Ear infection is common, especially among young children.
Common symptoms include ear pain, fever, night-time restlessness, hearing loss, fluid leaking from the ear, irritability and restlessness and common cold symptoms such as a runny nose and a cough.
A doctor diagnoses ear infection by examining the ear canal and eardrum with an otoscope. If necessary, other diagnostic methods can also be used.
Ear inflammation is often treated symptomatically with painkillers and antipyretics. Antibiotics may be used in some cases, especially in bacterial infections. In case of recurrent ear infections, ear tubes may be considered.
Yes, many ear infections heal on their own without antibiotic treatment, especially if they are caused by a virus. The doctor may recommend symptom monitoring and pain medication.
The ear infection itself is not contagious, but the viruses and bacteria that cause it can spread from person to person, causing respiratory track infections which can lead to ear infection.
Ways of preventing ear infection includes good hand hygiene, avoidance of exposure to tobacco smoke, vaccinations (such as influenza vaccine), breastfeeding and use of xylitol.
A doctor should be consulted if the ear pain is severe, the child has a high fever, fluid leaks from the ear, hearing deteriorates or the symptoms do not improve within a few days.
Yes, ear infection can temporarily impair hearing in the infected ear. In most cases, hearing will return to normal once the infection has healed.
Recurrent ear infection refers to a situation where a person, most often a child, becomes ill with an ear infection several times in a short period of time. We usually talk about recurrent ear infections when a child has had at least three ear infections in a six-month period or four ear infections in a year.
Recurrent ear infections can be caused by a variety of factors, such as the child's age, anatomical factors such as a shorter and narrower ear canal, exposure to other children's respiratory tract infections in day care centres or at home, exposure to passive tobacco smoke or allergies.
Although not all ear infections can be prevented, the risk of ear infection can be reduced, for example, by breastfeeding babies, maintaining good hand hygiene, avoiding exposure to tobacco smoke and taking pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations.
Ear tubing is usually considered if the child has recurrent ear infections which affect their general well-being, cause significant hearing loss or if there is a risk of permanent ear damage.
Paediatric allergists are paediatric specialists with additional training in the treatment of asthma and allergic diseases in children.
Mehiläinen's paediatricians are here to help you if your child has ear infection symptoms.
If your child has an ear infection, you can also book an appointment with our ear specialist.
Our general practitioners will also help you, if necessary.
Consult the Digital child health clinic to ask questions about your child’s care or parenting. Qualified midwives and nurses provide support 24/7, either for a one-time fee or a fixed monthly fee.
Questions about ear infection? Our Digital Clinic is a quick and easy way to get answers. Remote appointments can be used to treat symptoms and diseases that do not require a physical examination.
