How to Treat an Ear Infection in a Child

Ear infections are a common condition for children. Recurrent ear infections require extensive attention to avoid the potential development of benign tumors and permanent hearing loss. Here's how to deal with your child's next ear infection.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Towel
• Dropper
• Olive oil
• Prescription medication
• Pain relief medicine
• Warm water

1. Soak a towel in warm water, then fold it. Test it against your forehead to be sure it is not too hot.
2. Use the towel as a warm compress on the child's ears. This will temporarily relieve the child's pain. Apply the compress while the child is sitting upright, so that no excess water gets into his or her ears.
3. Warm a small amount of olive oil and fill a dropper with it. Drop some on your wrist to test that it is not too hot.
4. Put just a few drops of the olive oil in the child's ears. This method can provide temporary relief, but should not be used as a long-term treatment.
5. Administer some children's pain relief medicine. Only give the recommended amount on the bottle. Never exceed a dosage, which could cause dangerous side effects and possibly even organ damage.
6. Take your child to the doctor. After a quick ear examination, the doctor will likely prescribe an antibiotic. The most common antibiotic given for ear infections is Amoxicillin. This medicine is a liquid which is usually taken orally 1 to 3 times daily for a week.

Tips & Warnings

• Ear infections are not contagious.
• Always follow the doctor's orders for giving a child any type of prescription medication. If orders are not followed exactly, the ear infection could return.
• Never put anything near or inside an ear that is releasing a fluid.
• An ear infection will often treat itself, but only after about a week and a half. Antibiotics will treat a child's ear infection faster and ensure that it does not spread to other parts of the inner ear.