It can be difficult to suss out the signs of an ear infection in a baby when there is so much for babies to be fussy about in general. But baby ear infections are common, and baby ear infection symptoms are fairly distinct. So put down that ear infection app — all you need is some careful observation and maybe a thermometer.
How to Spot a Baby Ear Infection
Ear infections normally start in the nose, and so do symptoms like congestion and grosser-than-normal snot. Kids experiencing ear pain will often tug at the ears and the infections are usually accompanied by general fussiness, ear discharge, an outright fever, or some combination of these symptoms. The fact that there’s often no direct visible sign of infection can be frustrating, but then again “ear discharge” is as nasty as it sounds, so … silver linings.What to Do When Baby Has an Ear Infection
Unless your kid is having dizziness, vision problems, or visible swelling and redness around the ear, don’t rush to the ER; the most experience that an adult doctor likely has with baby ears is pulling quarters out from behind them. Honestly, you can usually wait until the next morning to take your kid to the pediatrician if you can’t make it when you first spot symptoms. Meantime, put a warm compress on the ear, give Junior some ibuprofen, and read them a bedtime story.In the morning, you’ll get a professional treatment plan, which will include antibiotics only if your kid is under 1 or also has a high fever and/or pinkeye. Otherwise, there’s a 60 percent chance it’ll miraculously disappear without antibiotics after a couple of days of continued observation and comfort measures. If neither of those options work after 3 to 4 days, go back to the doc.
Because of the aforementioned perpetual colds, your kid might get repeat ear infections. This is normal and only requires evaluation by an ear, nose, and throat specialist if they get four infections in six months or six infections in a year.
