Find out whether or not your child could be displaying signs of an infection.

Nothing is worse for a parent than dealing with a sick child. Unfortunately, an ear infection is something most children will experience at some point. Ear infections are a common issue that your San Antonio, TX, pediatric ENT doctor, Dr. Christine Gilliam can assist with. Here’s what to be on the lookout for.

Unfortunately, one of the issues with ear infections is that they often appear in children who aren’t able to speak yet. If your child isn’t old enough to verbalize that they are having issues with their ears, you may be a bit confused as to why they may be acting out of sorts. Here are some signs that your child might just be dealing with an ear infection:

• Tugging or playing with their ears
• Fussing or crying
• Redness or swelling of the ear
• Discharge or pus coming from the ear
• Difficulty hearing
• Problems with balance
• Inability to sleep
• Fever

In most cases, ear infections are caused by bacteria and often accompany another infection like a sore throat or respiratory problem. There are some cases in which a virus such as a cold can also cause an ear infection. Since most ear infections are bacterial they will require antibiotics from our San Antonio children’s otolaryngologist to properly treat the infection. Remember to follow this medication exactly as instructed. Your child should never stop taking this medication even if they start to feel better.

Once they start taking their medication you should notice an improvement in their symptoms after just a couple of days. If you don’t see any changes in their symptoms after a few days or if symptoms only get worse then you need to give us a call. We will prescribe another type of antibiotic that should be more effective.

While your child is healing, make sure they are getting plenty of rest and fluids. The more they rest the better their bodies will be able to combat the infection. Keeping them hydrated is also important for a speedy recovery. If your child is showing signs of dehydration then you need to bring them in right away.

If you are concerned that your child may have an ear infection then the best choice is to call Everyone’s ENT & Sinus Center in San Antonio, TX, to get your child in to see their ENT doctor, Dr. Christine Gilliam, right away.