Ear Infections
When To Call a Doctor
Call your health professional immediately if:
- Your child has a severe injury to the ear.
- Your child has sudden hearing loss, severe pain, drainage from the ear, or dizziness.
- Your child seems to be very sick with symptoms such as a high fever and stiff neck.
- You notice redness, swelling, or pain behind or around your child's ear, especially if your child does not move the muscles on that side of his or her face.
Call your health professional if:
- You can't quiet your child who has a severe earache with home treatment over several hours.
- Your baby pulls or rubs his or her ear and appears to be in pain (crying, screaming).
- Your child's ear pain increases even with treatment.
- Your child has a fever over 38°C (100.5°F) with other signs of ear infection.
- You suspect that your child's eardrum has burst, or fluid that looks like pus or blood is draining from the ear.
- Your child has an object stuck in his or her ear.
- Your child with an ear infection continues to have symptoms (fever and pain) after 48 hours of treatment with an antibiotic.
- Your child with an ear tube develops an earache or has drainage from his or her ear.
Watchful Waiting
Watchful waiting is when you and your health professional watch symptoms to see if the health problem improves on its own. If it does, no treatment is necessary. If the symptoms don't get better or get worse, then it’s time to take the next treatment step.
If your child is age 6 months or older and has a mild earache, you might try watchful waiting. Most ear infections get better without antibiotics. However, if your child's pain doesn't get better with non-prescription children's pain reliever (such as acetaminophen) or the symptoms continue after 48 hours, call a health professional.
Who To See
Ask your family doctor or general practitioner about diagnosing and treating otitis media (ear infections). If your child has repeated ear infections, he or she may be referred to one of the following specialists:
- Otolaryngologist.
- Pediatric otolaryngologist.
- Audiologist.
- Speech therapist.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment
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| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH | Last Updated: June 21, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Charles M. Myer, III, MD - Otolaryngology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
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