The most common purulent otitis in children. And in most cases it is recurrent. There are certain factors that can cause the development of otitis media in a child. It can be frequent infectious diseases, enlarged adenoids, or weakening of the body's defense system.
Signs of pathology should be the basis for contacting a specialist. The doctor will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment for purulent otitis media in a child, aimed not only at eliminating otitis media, but also at the causes of its cause.
Description
Under otitis media is understood an inflammatory process in the middle part of the ear, which is part of the auditory system. Its main part is the tympanic membrane, which is a small space in the temporal bone, which is responsible for processing sound vibrations entering the ear.
Purulent otitis in children can cause pathologies in the development of the child's speech functions. In some cases, the disease can disrupt psycho-emotionaldevelopment, reduce susceptibility to information and significantly reduce the quality of life in general.
This form of otitis is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the ear, accompanied by the development and accumulation of characteristic secretions. Purulent otitis media is somewhat more dangerous than catarrhal, as it can lead to complications such as hearing loss or intracranial changes. If a child has been ill with this form of otitis, then you should definitely check your hearing and pay attention to any changes in the psycho-emotional plan.
Reasons
The most common causes of purulent otitis in children are inflammation in the nasopharynx, chronic rhinitis, adenoids and SARS. These diseases lead to the fact that excess mucus accumulates in the nose.
When a child blows his nose intensely, the mucus enters the Eustachian tube and blocks it. This leads to a lack of ventilation, and further to infection and inflammation of the ear mucosa.
When the accumulated inflammatory fluid is released, there is severe discomfort, soreness and hearing loss. At this stage, pathogens begin to actively multiply. As a result, already after a couple of hours or several days, pus begins to stand out from the ear.
The child's well-being is significantly deteriorating. Body temperature may rise. At the same time, the intensity of painful sensations in the ear area increases. The eardrum may rupture under the pressure of the pus.
Why the baby?
There are several reasons why suppurative otitis media is diagnosed in children and not in adults. These include the following:
- The anatomical feature of the Eustachian tube in a child is its narrowness, which leads to its easy clogging with mucus.
- Enlarged adenoids are most common in children. Such formations can also compress the Eustachian tube, which narrows its lumen.
- Children are more susceptible to acute viral infectious diseases than adults.
Provoking factors
Also, the risk of developing bilateral purulent otitis in a child is significantly increased by some additional factors, for example:
- Deficiency of vitamins in the body.
- Hypercooling.
- Long-term use of a drug belonging to the group of antibiotics.
- Liquid entering the auricle.
- Reduced immunity.
Purulent otitis media in a child: symptoms
The development of a purulent form of otitis media in childhood is characterized by severe pain in the ear. A child with such an ailment tends to show anxiety, tearfulness. The nature of the pain can be different: aching, throbbing and cutting.
Other symptoms:
- Ear discomfort increases significantly at night, which can lead to sleep disturbance. In addition, children often exhibit the following symptoms:
- Weakness of the whole organism.
- Pale skin.
- Hearing impaired.
- Discharges of a purulent nature with blood impurities.
- Increased body temperature.
Symptoms of purulent otitis in a child should be determined in a timely manner. It is easier to detect pathology in older children, who can show exactly where it hurts.
In newborns
With newborn babies, things are much more complicated. Purulent otitis can lead to the fact that the baby will constantly cry, practically not sleep. In addition, the following symptoms appear:
- Loss of appetite.
- Gag reflex.
- Child cannot lie on side of affected ear.
If the temperature rises against the background of a complaint of pain in the ear, you should call an ambulance, as this combination is very dangerous for the child due to the risk of complications.
Diagnostics and types
When determining the diagnosis, the specialist relies on the patient's complaints, his anamnesis, as well as the results of otoscopy. As a rule, such types of examinations are assigned as:
- Examination, endoscopic examination of the nose, nasopharynx and ear cavity after cleaning the canals.
- Vestibulological and audiological examination.
- Valsalva maneuver. During the manipulation, the exudate is pushed into the ear canal.
- Study of the secret in the laboratory. Its purpose is to assess the susceptibility of harmful microorganisms to antimicrobials.
- Assessing the patient's immune system.
- X-ray and computertomography.
There are several types of purulent otitis media in children. Each of them is characterized by certain features.
Acute - it is characterized by severe pain and accumulation of purulent discharge in the ear cavity. In the absence of timely therapy, there is a risk of the disease becoming chronic. With this type of otitis, the eardrum is affected. There is also a gradual decrease in hearing function in the child.
Bilateral - in this case, both ears are exposed to inflammatory infection at once. This species is very dangerous for the he alth of the child, especially the newborn. The vast majority of otitis media in this category of children are precisely bilateral. With age, the hearing aid develops and the number of otitis media decreases.
Recurrent - this variety is characterized by re-infection after a short period of time after recovery. Most often this happens due to incorrectly chosen therapy or violation of the prescriptions of the attending physician. Relapses of otitis media are not ruled out with enlarged adenoids.
Purulent otitis media in a child: treatment
To avoid dangerous consequences for he alth, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner and undergo an examination. The specialist selects a treatment regimen taking into account the patient's complaints and the stage of manifestation of the disease. The duration of therapy also depends on this.
Newborn children with purulent otitis media are prescribed antibacterial drugs. Depending on the age of the patient and the type of diseaseantibiotics may be prescribed in tablet or suspension form. Most often, drugs from the penicillin group are prescribed, especially in combination with clavulanic acid.
How long is purulent otitis media treated in children? It depends on the severity of the disease. On average, the disease resolves in a week.
The most effective drugs are: Amoxicillin, Amoxiclav, Augmentin, etc. In case penicillins are ineffective or contraindicated, preference is given to cephalosporins such as Ceftriaxone, Cefazolin, etc. e.
If these drugs do not give results or an allergy is detected, specialists prescribe drugs from the macrolide group. These are drugs such as Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, etc. An antibiotic for purulent otitis in children should be selected by a doctor. Self-medication is unacceptable.
With purulent otitis, the child must be prescribed drops in the nose, narrowing the blood vessels. They relieve swelling from the nasal mucosa and expand the lumen of the auditory tube. These can be Otrivin, Galazolin, Naphthyzin, etc. Antihistamines are also prescribed in combination with drops for purulent otitis in children.
If the pain is intense, anti-inflammatory drugs based on ibuprofen or paracetamol are prescribed. They also have an antipyretic effect. Both suppositories and syrups can be used.
If the perforation of the eardrum was not detected, drops are prescribed in the ear. Otipaks has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. The drug is prescribed even for infants.
In the chronic form of purulent otitis media, immunomodulators and antiviral drugs, such as Viferon, are indicated.
This is how purulent otitis in children is treated.
Prevention
If the disease has taken a recurrent form, then the factors influencing the appearance of purulent otitis media should be eliminated. Most often, it is required to strengthen the immune system, for this immunomodulatory and vitamin therapy is carried out.
When remission occurs, the procedure for blowing the auditory tubes and massage the eardrum is performed. To eliminate sinusitis, a puncture may be performed. If the cause of frequent relapses is enlarged adenoids, the doctor may prescribe their removal.
It must be remembered that the consequences of purulent otitis media in children are very dangerous. Meningitis and sepsis may develop.
To avoid the development of a purulent form of otitis, special preventive measures are taken. They are as follows:
- Strengthening the immune system.
- Hardening.
- Prevention of viral infections.
- Balanced nutrition.
- Timely treatment of diseases of the nasopharynx.
Purulent otitis media belongs to the category of dangerous diseases that affect the auditory function. Therefore, when complaining of pain in the ear, you should show the child to a specialist and not self-medicate.
