Otitis - an inflammatory disease of the hearing organ; most often - the middle ear, located behind the tympanic membrane (the auditory tube, coming from the nasopharynx, opens into its internal cavity). Less commonly, the outer ear, which consists of the pinna and ear canal, becomes inflamed.
Otitis externa
Children's external auditory meatus is short, slit-like, and tapering, making it easy for bacteria to spread. When scratches and microtraumas of the skin of the ear canal become infected (they appear due to scratching, playing, cleaning the ears, etc.), otitis externa develops. In a child, his symptoms will be quite characteristic: fever up to 39 degrees, intoxication, redness of the skin of the auricle, swelling and narrowing of the auditory opening, the release of a translucent liquid. Similar manifestations can be with an internal boil (this condition can be suspected with an increase in the parotid lymph nodes, a sharp pain when chewing).
Otitis media
In the middle ear, acute otitis in children occurs quite often due to a number of anatomical features inherent in the neonatal period and early age. BeforeIn general, the auditory (or, as it is also called, the Eustachian) tube in young children is wide and short. Because of this, microorganisms, the smallest pieces of food and liquid very easily enter the middle ear from the nasopharynx, causing inflammation. The second point - in infants, the tympanic cavity is filled with a special jelly-like tissue, which gradually resolves, but additional internal chambers (cavities) are formed in which the infection “successfully” develops. With age, these anatomical features disappear, and the risk of otitis media decreases. Inflammation of the middle ear will also give fever and intoxication, less often there will be clear or purulent discharge from the ear (in the latter case, trouble has already struck, since the child has a hole in the eardrum). If
purulent otitis media was detected in a child, treatment must be started immediately, for which you must immediately call an ambulance. The presence of any form of otitis is quite easy to check by pressing on the tragus, which always causes sharp pain and crying. Against the background of intoxication and fever, this allows you to accurately determine the cause of the disease. In infants, ear pain will be manifested by crying, sleep disturbance, refusal of food, forced position (the baby tries to lie on the sore ear); vomiting and diarrhea are less common.
Treatment of otitis media
The first action for symptoms of otitis media is to call a doctor. With early and timely seeking medical help, it is usually possible to cure the baby without unpleasant manipulations and with the use of a minimum amount of medication. If an externalotitis media in a child, its treatment will consist of local remedies (ointments, balms, including antiseptic ones), less often antibiotics.
In case of inflammation of the middle ear, in any case, antibiotics will be prescribed (tablets or in the form of syrups). The pain will be eliminated with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs, and the patency of the auditory tube will be restored with vasoconstrictor drops. If purulent otitis media has developed, the child's treatment will necessarily include injectable antibiotics, a special ear toilet with antiseptics, removal of pus with turundas, and other unpleasant manipulations. In the complex treatment of catarrhal (non-purulent) otitis, dry heat (blue lamp), half-alcohol compresses, and later physiotherapy (UHF, UVI, etc.) are successfully used. However, one must clearly understand that otitis media cannot be cured with compresses and heating alone! But it’s very easy to “sit out” until purulent inflammation.
If a child develops otitis, treatment should be prescribed by a doctor, regardless of the form, cause and severity of the disease. "Traditional medicine" and self-medication can quickly lead to severe complications, up to inflammation of the meninges.
