Otitis media is an inflammatory process of one of the three parts of the ear. The most common ailment in babies is the so-called otitis media. It usually occurs against the background of a severe runny nose, when the nasal mucosa swells and blocks a special ear canal - the Eustachian tube. As a result, fluid accumulates in the middle ear cavity, causing an inflammatory process.
Instructions
Step 1
Diagnosing otitis media in older children is usually quite simple: the baby himself will begin to complain of pain in the auricle area. The baby can also become a victim of this insidious ailment, but he is not able to tell about his feelings. Therefore, the mother's duty is to carefully analyze all possible signs of incipient inflammation.
Step 2
During otitis media, the baby often throws the breast or bottle, cries, turns his head, rolls his head while in a horizontal position, "chews" his own tongue and worries for no apparent reason. Half-year-olds and toddlers of older age begin to fiddle with the sore ear with their hands and shake their heads intensively, trying to somehow relieve the pain. One of the important symptoms of otitis media is an increase in body temperature to 38-38.5 degrees.
Step 3
You can determine otitis media using the following manipulations. Press down on the tragus, a small bump in front of the cheek side of the ear. A sick child will cry as it will cause him severe pain. In a healthy baby, this procedure will not cause any reaction. This check should be done regularly, especially during periods of intense teething. Often at this time, children experience swelling of the nasal mucosa and a runny nose - the main harbinger of otitis media.
Step 4
Purulent otitis media develops in babies very rapidly, literally within 6-7 hours, so if the baby has at least one of the listed symptoms, you should immediately consult a specialist for help.
