How to stop an earache fast in child

Pain in or around the ear
The older child complains about ear pain
Younger child acts like he did with last ear infection or cries a lot
Not caused by an ear injury

Ear Infection. An infection of the middle ear (space behind the eardrum) is the most common cause. Ear infections can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Usually, a doctor can tell the difference by looking at the eardrum.
Swimmer's Ear. An infection or irritation of the skin that lines the ear canal. Main symptom is itchy ear canal. If the canal becomes infected, it also becomes painful. Mainly occurs in swimmers and in the summer time.
Ear Canal Injury. A cotton swab or fingernail can cause a scrape in the canal.
Ear Canal Abscess. An infection of a hair follicle in the ear canal can be very painful. It looks like a small red bump. Sometimes, it turns into a pimple. It needs to be drained.
Earwax. A big piece of hard earwax can cause mild ear pain. If the wax has been pushed in by cotton swabs, the ear canal can become blocked. This pain will be worse.
Ear Canal Foreign Object. Young children may put small objects in their ear canal. It will cause pain if object is sharp or pushed in very far.
Airplane Ear. If the ear tube is blocked, sudden increases in air pressure can cause the eardrum to stretch. The main symptom is severe ear pain. It usually starts when coming down for a landing. It can also occur during mountain driving.
Pierced Ear Infections. These are common. If not treated early, they can become very painful.
Referred Pain. Ear pain can also be referred from diseases not in the ear. Tonsil infections are a common example. Tooth decay in a back molar can seem like ear pain. Mumps can be reported as ear pain. Reason: the mumps parotid gland is in front of the ear. Jaw pain (TMJ syndrome) can masquerade as ear pain.

Definition. An infection of the middle ear (the space behind the eardrum). Viral ear infections are more common than bacterial ones.
Symptoms. The main symptom is an earache. Younger children will cry, act fussy or have trouble sleeping because of pain. About 50% of children with an ear infection will have a fever.
Diagnosis. A doctor can diagnose a bacterial ear infection by looking at the eardrum. It will be bulging and have pus behind it. For viral ear infections, the eardrum will be red but not bulging.
Age Range. Ear infections peak at age 6 months to 2 years. They are a common problem until age 8. The onset of ear infections is often on day 3 of a cold.
Frequency. 90% of children have at least 1 ear infection. Frequent ear infections occur in 20% of children. Ear infections are the most common bacterial infection of young children.
Complication of Bacterial Ear Infections. In 5% to 10% of children, the eardrum will develop a small tear. This is from the pressure in the middle ear. The ear then drains cloudy fluid or pus. This small hole most often heals over in 2 or 3 days.
Treatment. Bacterial ear infections need an oral antibiotic. Viral ear infections get better on their own. They need pain medicine and supportive care.

Not moving or too weak to stand
You think your child has a life-threatening emergency

Severe earache and not improved 2 hours after taking ibuprofen
Pink or red swelling behind the ear
Outer ear is red, swollen and painful
Stiff neck (can't touch chin to the chest)
Walking is not steady
Pointed object was put into the ear canal (such as a pencil, stick, or wire)
Weak immune system. Examples are: sickle cell disease, HIV, cancer, organ transplant, taking oral steroids.
Fever over 104° F (40° C)
Your child looks or acts very sick
You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Earache, but none of the symptoms above. Reason: could be an ear infection.
Pus or cloudy discharge from ear canal

What You Should Know About Earaches:
- Your child may have an ear infection. The only way to be sure is to look at the eardrum.
- It is safe to wait until your doctor's office is open to call. It is not harmful to wait if the pain starts at night.
- Ear pain can usually be controlled with pain medicine.
- Many earaches are caused by a virus and don't need an antibiotic.
- Here is some care advice that should help until you talk with your doctor.
Pain Medicine:
- To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
- Use as needed.
Cold Pack for Pain:
- Put a cold wet washcloth on the outer ear for 20 minutes. This should help the pain until the pain medicine starts to work.
- Note: some children prefer heat for 20 minutes.
- Caution: heat or cold kept on too long could cause a burn or frostbite.
Ear Infection Discharge:
- If pus is draining from the ear, the eardrum probably has a small tear. Usually, this is from an ear infection. Discharge can also occur if your child has ear tubes.
- The pus may be blood-tinged.
- Most often, this heals well after the ear infection is treated.
- Wipe the discharge away as you see it.
- Do not plug the ear canal with cotton. Reason: retained pus can cause an infection of the lining of the ear canal.
Fever Medicine:
- For fevers above 102° F (39° C), give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
- Note: fevers less than 102° F (39° C) are important for fighting infections.
- For all fevers: keep your child well hydrated. Give lots of cold fluids.
Return to School:
- Ear infections cannot be spread to others.
- Can return to school or child care when the fever is gone.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Table of Contents Show

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.
Warm compress
Acetaminophen
Stay hydrated
Elevate your baby’s head
Homeopathic eardrops
Breastfeeding
Avoid secondhand smoke
Proper bottle position
Healthy environment
Vaccinations

Last Reviewed: 09/07/2022

Last Revised: 01/13/2022

Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — Written by Susan York Morris on November 20, 2017

Symptoms
Antibiotics
Home remedies
Prevention
Doctor

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What is an ear infection?

If your baby is fussy, cries more than usual, and tugs at their ear, they may have an ear infection. Five out of six children will have an ear infection before their 3rd birthday, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

An ear infection, or otitis media, is a painful inflammation of the middle ear. Most middle ear infections occur between the ear drum and the eustachian tube, which connects the ears, nose, and throat.

Ear infections often follow a cold. Bacteria or viruses are usually the cause. The infection causes inflammation and swelling of the eustachian tube. The tube narrows and fluid builds behind the eardrum, causing pressure and pain. Children have shorter and narrower eustachian tubes than adults. Also, their tubes are more horizontal, so it’s easier for them to get blocked.

Approximately 5 to 10 percent of children with an ear infection will experience a ruptured eardrum, according to the Children’s National Health System. The eardrum usually heals within one to two weeks, and rarely causes permanent damage to the child’s hearing.

Earaches can be painful and your baby can’t tell you what hurts. But there are several common signs:

irritability
pulling or batting at the ear (note that if your baby has no other symptoms this is an unreliable sign)
loss of appetite
trouble sleeping
fever
fluid draining from ear

Ear infections can cause dizziness. If your baby has reached the wobbling stage, take extra care to protect them from falls.

For years, antibiotics were prescribed for ear infections. We now know that antibiotics are often not the best option. A research review published in The Journal of the American Medical Association notes that among average-risk children with ear infections, 80 percent recover in about three days without the use of antibiotics. Using antibiotics to treat an ear infection may cause the bacteria responsible for ear infections to become resistant to antibiotics. This makes it harder to treat future infections.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), antibiotics cause diarrhea and vomiting in approximately 15 percent of children who take them. The AAP also notes that up to 5 percent of children prescribed antibiotics have an allergic reaction, which is serious and can be life-threatening.

In most cases, the AAP and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend holding off on starting antibiotics for 48 to 72 hours because an infection may clear up on its own.

However, there are times when antibiotics are the best course of action. In general, the AAP recommends prescribing antibiotics for ear infections in:

children age 6 months and younger
children age 6 months to 12 years who have severe symptoms

Ear infections can cause pain, but there are measures you can take to help ease the pain. Here are six home remedies.

Warm compress

Try placing a warm, moist compress over your child’s ear for about 10 to 15 minutes. This may help reduce pain.

Acetaminophen

If your baby is older than 6 months, acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help relieve pain and fever. Use the medication as recommended by your doctor and the instructions on the pain reliever’s bottle. For best results, try giving your child a dose before bed.

Warm oil

If there is no fluid draining from your child’s ear and a ruptured eardrum isn’t suspected, place a few drops of room temperature or slightly warmed olive oil or sesame oil in the affected ear.

Stay hydrated

Offer your child fluids often. Swallowing can help open the eustachian tube so the trapped fluid can drain.

Elevate your baby’s head

Slightly elevate the crib at the head to improve your baby’s sinus drainage. Do not place pillows under your baby’s head. Instead, place a pillow or two under the mattress.

Homeopathic eardrops

Homeopathic eardrops containing extracts of ingredients such as garlic, mullein, lavender, calendula, and St. John’s wort in olive oil may help relieve inflammation and pain.

Although many ear infections can’t be prevented, there are steps you can take to lessen your baby’s risk.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeed your baby for six to 12 months if possible. Antibodies in your milk can protect your baby from ear infections and a host of other medical conditions.

Avoid secondhand smoke

Protect your baby from exposure to secondhand smoke, which can make ear infections more severe and more frequent.

Proper bottle position

If you bottle feed your baby, hold the infant in a semi-upright position so formula doesn’t flow back into the eustachian tubes. Avoid bottle propping for the same reason.

Healthy environment

When possible, avoid exposing your baby to situations where cold and flu bugs abound. If you or someone in your household is sick, wash your hands often to keep the germs away from your baby.