children s health issues
Acute Middle Ear Infection in Children
Treatment
Drugs to relieve pain Sometimes antibiotics Rarely tympanic membrane perforation Acetaminophenoribuprofenis effective for fever and pain. Most acute middle ear infections resolve without antibiotics. Thus, many doctors use antibiotics only when children are very young or very ill, do not improve after a brief period of time, when there are signs that the infection is getting worse, or when children have frequent infections. Antibiotics, such asamoxicillin(with or without clavulanate), may be used. For children, antihistamines (such asbrompheniramineorchlorpheniramine) and vasoconstrictors (drugs that constrict blood vessels, also sometimes called decongestants) are not helpful and should not be used. If the eardrum is bulging and the child has severe or persistent pain, fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, ear specialists may puncture the eardrum (called myringotomy ) to allow the infected fluid to drain. Sometimes ear specialists then also insert tympanostomy tubes. After this procedure, symptoms usually resolve quickly, hearing returns, and the eardrum heals on its own. 