When otitis media occurs in a baby, it is important to see a doctor and follow medical advice to treat it carefully, not to take anti-inflammatory drugs on your own so that your baby is not completely treated and left with hidden problems. If otitis media is not treated in a timely manner, especially in infants and toddlers with low body resistance, otitis media can expand to nearby organs, such as causing mastoiditis. Causes of otitis media in babies The characteristics of the eustachian tube and the low resistance of infants and toddlers make them susceptible to otitis media after catching a cold, and there are many other factors that can trigger otitis media in infancy and early childhood: (1) Infection from sewage flowing into the baby’s ear due to the baby’s lack of cooperation when bathing or shampooing; (2) Feeding the baby too quickly or with a large hole in the pacifier, so that the milk flows into the mouth too quickly or too much (3) Parents digging their baby’s ears and accidentally stabbing the mucous membrane of the skin inside the ear, which causes infection. Therefore, parents should pay attention to all aspects of protecting their babies during infancy and early childhood to cut off all the ways of developing otitis media. What should I do if my baby has otitis media? If a baby has otitis media, he or she must see a doctor and be treated carefully according to medical advice. If otitis media is not treated in a timely manner, especially in infants and toddlers with low body resistance, otitis media can expand to nearby organs, causing serious consequences such as mastoiditis or even intracranial infection. Therefore, we place special emphasis on early diagnosis and early treatment. Special reminder: Parents should go to the hospital promptly if they find that their baby has unexplained fever that does not go away after catching a cold; or if he or she shows signs of mental depression, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.; or if the baby is crying and restless, pulling on the ear and in pain. Don’t wait until your baby’s ears are flowing with pus before you take your child to the doctor. Treatment of otitis media in children The main treatment plan for otitis media is to choose effective antibiotic drugs, such as penicillin, erythromycin, azithromycin and cephalosporin, which require adequate doses and a course of treatment of at least 1 week. Other local treatment measures for otitis media include cleaning, drainage of pus, ear drops of antibiotics and a small amount of ear powder. Most otitis media can be cured, that is, it can be completely cured with reasonable treatment and care, but if it is detected too late, not only will there be a risk of spreading the infection as mentioned earlier, but due to delayed treatment, it will also leave behind problems such as hearing loss. How to prevent pediatric otitis media Improving your baby’s resistance to prevent colds is a positive measure to prevent otitis media. Therefore, we advocate breastfeeding, adding complementary foods on time, enhancing your baby’s physical fitness from a reasonable diet (diet diversification); usually pay attention to establishing a regular exercise program for your baby, and often take your baby to outdoor activities. Special reminders: 1. When your baby has a cold or other respiratory infectious disease, treat it actively and pay attention to your baby’s oral hygiene; 2. When bathing or washing your child’s hair, block your child’s external ear canal opening with your hand to prevent the inflow of sewage. Do not dig your child’s ears with force to prevent skin infections, which can be caused by bacterial invasion. If your child has recurrent colds, which suggests poor health, you should ask your doctor to give 1-2 courses of resistance-boosting treatment measures (there are various methods), or check your child’s immune function and decide on a treatment plan, otherwise recurrent colds will increase the risk of developing otitis media.