Children get ear infections all the time, but this doesn’t mean that your child should suffer as frequently. An ear infection can be prevented if you know how to shield your child against common viruses that cause them. Everyone experiences general ear aches—adults and kids alike. Children, however, are more susceptible to them because they still haven’t fully developed their immune system, allowing them to fight off viruses and bacteria that cause ear infections. While you can’t always stop an infection from befalling your child, it’s important to know the steps you can take to prevent them and save yourself the trouble of emergency trips to your children’s doctor pediatrician.
Ear infections typically occur in the middle ear—the air-filled space just behind the eardrum, which holds small, vibrating bones responsible for picking up the sound waves we hear. Conditions like common colds, allergies, and the flu often cause swelling and congestion in the nasal passages as well as the throat. Fluid buildup in these areas increases your child’s chances of getting an ear infection, especially when these fluids don’t drain properly. Preventing these conditions is the best way to shield against ear infections. Here are some useful tips you can follow to keep earaches and infections at bay:
1. Boost your child’s immune system by breastfeeding them. Infants who nurse for at least 12 months develop a much stronger immune system and therefore have fewer infections. However, if you can’t breastfeed, your best defense is avoiding bottle-feeding your child lying down, as this makes them more susceptible to ear infections.
2. Keep the air quality in the room where your child sleeps high. Do not ever expose an infant to cigarette smoke and avoid air pollution.
3. Keep your child vaccinated and up to date on their shots.
4. Wean your child early from pacifiers, which increase their chances of developing ear infections.
5. Finally, keep your child’s hands clean to reduce their chances of catching colds and the flu and from spreading germs that cause these conditions.
At Pediatric Partners of Augusta, you’ll find the best group of children’s doctor pediatrician specialists and professionals to help care for your child’s health and wellbeing, be it a simple ear infection or perhaps a more serious illness. Their goal is to build strong partnerships with parents so that children grow into healthy, happy, young adults.
