Otitis Media is the infection of the middle ear and ear cavity. It is quite common among newborns and older babies.

Look Out For…

Up to the age of two years, there is a strong chance that your little one could get this infection. The most common symptom is an acute pain in the ear.

However, it is difficult to find this out, since your baby can't talk just yet.

So, the most prominent symptom is her bouts of crying, due to the pain.

Check with your doctor, if the crying bouts are accompanied by;

• Fever
• Cold and cough
• A Discharge from the outer ear
• Irritability

Don't Risk It

If Otitis Media becomes chronic, it could lead to excessive pressure in the ear drum.

Eventually the ear drum may rupture, causing deafness. Don't worry though. Since your child is still very young, her ear drum will heal.

But, she will have a small amount of deafness for the rest of her life.

Healing Process

When you take your child to a paediatrician, make sure he checks her ear. This should be done with an Otoscope and not with a torch.

If there is any fluid behind the ear drum, it is a sure sign of Otitis Media. In this case, you will have to give your child prescribed antibiotics for about 72 hours.

However, she will need about a week to heal completely. If there is a perforation in the ear drum, it will take about two weeks to heal.

The best way to prevent Otitis Media is to deal with any upper respiratory infections or sinusitis that your child has. This will prevent further complications.

(With inputs from: Pune based paediatrician Dr. Jayant Deodhar and Mumbai based paediatrician Dr. Deepak Ugra)