How To Prevent Ear Infections

How to Prevent Infections in the Ear

When it comes to your child's ear health, let the excellent medical staff of Mid-Kansas Pediatric Associates located in East Wichita, West Wichita, and Derby, KS, answer any questions regarding ear infections or general ear health today.

What Is an Infection in the Ear?

To learn how to prevent them, we must first know what infections are and what causes them. Infections occur after an illness. Bacteria can get trapped in the ear, bringing extra fluid and pain. There are three different types of infection of the ear.

• Chronic otitis media with effusion (COME) -

This condition can occur without an infection and happens when fluid sits in the middle ear, making infections, when they come, harder to heal and damage your child's hearing.

• Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) - This condition happens after a healed infection. Trapped fluid will be visible with an otoscope. Your child may present with no symptoms or pain.
• Acute otitis media (AOM) - This condition is the most common type of acute infection of the ear. It causes swelling and trapped fluid behind the eardrum, causing pain and sometimes a fever. 

Signs that your child may have an ear infection are your child tugging at their ears, fever, fluid drainage, trouble sleeping, taking several times for your child to hear what you are saying, and balance issues.

How To Prevent Childhood Infections in the Ear

Preventing infections in your child's ear is the best way to avoid them. You can accomplish prevention in several ways, such as in the following examples. 

• Keeping your child up-to-date on their yearly influenza and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) can help them stay infection-free.
• Preventing illness goes a long way in preventing infections of the ear. Washing hands often reduces the risk of catching the flu or a cold.
• Avoiding crowded areas with cigarette smoke will help prevent infection. There is a link between cigarette smoke and low immunity in children.
• When putting your child down for a nap, avoid giving them a bottle. 
• And, of course, if your child or a friend's child is sick, do not let them play together. Passing germs this way is very prevalent among younger children. 

Schedule Your Appointment Today

Dealing with ear issues is never fun, but using some preventative measures can go a long way in stopping ear infections in their tracks.

Mid-Kansas Pediatric Associates, located in East Wichita, West Wichita, and Derby, KS, are awaiting your call to schedule a visit concerning your child's ear health and what you can do to prevent ear infections.

East Wichita, (316) 634-2000

West Wichita, (316) 773-3100

Derby, (316) 719-2001