Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Children's Ear Aches

When a child's ear aches, the child is uncomfortable all over. You may notice a little redness near the ear, the child pulling or rubbing the ear, or even a bit of drainage from the ear. A slight temperature indicates an infection, as does the child's discomfort.

To ease pain, offer a single dose of Tylenol/acetaminophen, or Motrin/ibuprofen. These will lower temperature and ease any discomfort temporarily. Apply a warm compress, usually a cloth moistened in warm water wrapped in a zip-lock bag works best.

Massage the child's hand and foot in the webbed areas between fingers and toes to help relieve pain and induce healing in the body. This reflexology technique often improves the ache enough to end any infection or viral issue with the ear. These areas of reflexology are helpful if the child has a cold, congested head or other drainage in this ear/nose area.

Keeping the child warm and comfortable is half the battle.

Provide plenty of liquids, plenty of rest, and if the situation doesn't improve, contact your medical care provider within 24 hours.

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