External Ear Infection (Child)

Home care

Follow these guidelines when caring for your child at home:

• Don’t try to clean the ear canal. This may push pus and bacteria deeper into the canal.

• Use prescribed antibiotic eardrops as directed. These help reduce swelling and fight the infection. If an ear wick was placed in the ear canal, apply drops right onto the end of the wick. The wick will draw the medicine into the ear canal even if it is swollen closed.

• Do not insert eardrops (other than the antibiotic drops) or anything else into your child's ear unless your doctor has told you to.

• Don’t allow water to get into your child’s ear when they are bathing. Use cotton lightly coated with petroleum jelly as an earplug. Also, don’t allow your child to go swimming for at least 7 to10 days after starting treatment.

• Give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) for fever, pain, or fussiness. Do not use ibuprofen if your child is less than 6 months old unless the doctor gave you instructions to use it. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not give aspirin to children or teens unless your child’s doctor says it is safe. Aspirin can put your child at risk for Reye syndrome, a rare but serious condition.

Don't give your child any other medicine without first asking your child's doctor, especially for the first time. Discuss any questions about an over-the-counter medicine or its side effects with your child's doctor or pharmacist before giving the medicine to your child.

Prevention

• Don’t clean the inside of your child’s ears. Also, caution your child not to stick objects inside their ears.

• Have your child wear earplugs when swimming.

• After exiting water, have your child turn their head to the side to drain any excess water from the ears. Ears should be dried well with a towel. A hair dryer may be used to dry the ears, but it needs to be on a low or cool setting and about 12 inches away from the ears.

• If your child feels water trapped in the ears, use ear drops right away. You can get these drops over the counter at most drugstores. They work by removing water from the ear canal.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your child’s doctor, or as directed.

When to get medical advice

Contact your child's doctor right away if:

• Your child has a fever (see Fever and children, below).

• Your child's symptoms get worse or do not get better after 3 days of treatment.

• New symptoms appear.

• Your child's outer ear becomes red, warm, or swollen.

• There is drainage from the ear.

Fever and children

Use a digital thermometer to check your child’s temperature. Don’t use a mercury thermometer. There are different kinds and uses of digital thermometers. They include:

• Rectal. For children younger than 3 years, a rectal temperature is the most accurate.

• Forehead (temporal). This works for children age 3 months and older. If a child under 3 months old has signs of illness, this can be used for a first pass. The doctor may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.

• Ear (tympanic). Ear temperatures are accurate after 6 months of age, but not before.

• Armpit (axillary). This is the least reliable but may be used for a first pass to check a child of any age with signs of illness. The doctor may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.

• Mouth (oral). Don’t use a thermometer in your child’s mouth until they are at least 4 years old.

Use a rectal thermometer with care. Follow the product maker’s directions for correct use. Insert it gently. Label it and make sure it’s not used in the mouth. It may pass on germs from the stool. If you don’t feel OK using a rectal thermometer, ask the doctor what type to use instead. When you talk with any doctor about your child’s fever, tell them which type you used.

Below is when to call the doctor if your child has a fever. Your child’s doctor may give you different numbers. Follow their instructions.

When to call a doctor about your child’s fever

For a baby under 3 months old:

• First, ask your child’s doctor how you should take the temperature.

• Rectal or forehead: 100.4°F (38°C) or higher

• Armpit: 99°F (37.2°C) or higher

• A fever of ___________as advised by the doctor

For a child age 3 months to 36 months (3 years):

• Rectal or forehead: 102°F (38.9°C) or higher

• Ear (only for use over age 6 months): 102°F (38.9°C) or higher

• A fever of ___________ as advised by the doctor

In these cases:

• Armpit temperature of 103°F (39.4°C) or higher in a child of any age

• Temperature of 104°F (40°C) or higher in a child of any age

• A fever of ___________ as advised by the doctor