Childhood Ear Conditions

Ear infections are very common and very painful, especially for young children. And, almost every child will have at least one earache before the age of 2 or 3. Most are caused by an infection, either viral or bacterial, which can develop as a complication resulting from a respiratory infection. They can also be caused by swelling of the eustachian tubes or the swelling of the adenoids.

There are a lot of symptoms of earaches, which need to be observed since many times the child is too young to tell anyone what is wrong, or where it hurts. One of the most common symptoms is more than the usual amount of crying. The child will also pull at the ear that is hurting them. They could develop a fever and be unusually out of sorts. Or, they may appear to be having difficulty hearing. Any combination of these symptoms could indicate that the child is suffering from an earache.

If these ear infections become a chronic problem, they can lead to inflammation of the middle ear, which is a condition called otitis media. If it continues to progress, it can develop into a chronic condition called glue ear. This is when a thick, sticky fluid oozes from the ear. Once this discharge begins, it means that the child's ear drum has ruptured. But with this discharge, the child will have relief from their pain and usually the ear drum will heal itself. If the condition does progress to this level, there's a chance some hearing loss could result, either short term or long term.

There are some steps that can be taken to help prevent ear infections in children. Be aware that children who attend group child care are exposed to more colds than children who stay at home, which can lead to ear infections. Teach your child, at the youngest age possible, the importance of hand-washing. Exposure to cigarette smoke can increase the risk of ear infections in children. Don't lay your child down to drink from a bottle. It's been determined that babies who are fed in an upright position tend to have fewer ear infections. Ear infections are more common in the colder months, so make sure to keep your child's ears covered when outside during the cold months.

Prepare the ear for ear coning with a soothing oil blended with mullein flower, garlic bulb, rosalina and tea tree oil in a base of vegetable glycerine and crystal water. This not only soothes the ear, but it also helps to prevent further infections. Ear coning is an ancient procedure used by many cultures. It's a safe, natural way of cleansing the ear of all toxins without filling the body with chemically-laden antibiotics.

About the Author

Suzanne VanDeGrift has developed this article, on behalf of Dherbs.com. . Dherbs offers specially formulated {a target="-blank" href"http://www.http://www.dherbs.com/store/children-infant-ear-oil-extract-p-71.html"} natural herbal remedy treatment for ear infections<a>.

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