Is Your Child Suffering From Ear Infection? Visit Urgent Care Center!

Children are more prone to ear infection or otitis media (OM) than adults.  According to facts, five out of six children suffer from at least one ear infection by the time they reach their third birthday.

Building of fluid behind the eardrum is called ear infection. These are of three types –

1. Acute otitis media (AOM)
2. Otitis media with effusion (OME)
3. Chronic otitis media with effusion (COME)

Older children can speak about their health issues, but what about toddlers who aren’t old enough to even say “My ear hurts”.

In such cases, the parent needs to stay attentive. If you notice any symptoms like mild pain, pressure inside the ear, ear drainage, hearing loss etc., you should seek medical help from an urgent care center.

Even if your child is suffering from high fever than 102 degrees or severe ear pain, then also seek medical attention immediately.

Ear infection is caused by allergies, sinus infections, excess mucus, infected or swollen adenoids, and cold.

Possible causes associated with otitis media (OM) are altitude changes, exposure to cigarette smoke, recent illness or ear infection, pacifier use, and climate changes.

The healthcare provider of urgent care center will examine ears with an instrument called an otoscope. If redness, air bubbles, or pus-like fluid inside the middle ear, collapsed eardrum or a fluid draining from the middle ear and perforation in the eardrum is revealed, then the doctor will prescribe some medication, eardrops, or decongestants.

In case, infection has reached an advanced level, doctor will take the sample of fluid inside the ear and send it for testing.

He might also recommend a computed tomography (CT) scan of your head and hearing test to determine chronic ear infections.

If you are living in New Jersey, a healthcare specialist of an urgent care center in New Jersey will provide certain advice to reduce the risk of ear infection like washing of hands, avoiding secondhand smoke, keeping immunizations up-to-date and avoiding overly crowded areas. These precautions will keep you and your child safe from ear infection.