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Child Has Red And Swollen Ear With Fluid Discharge. What Should Be Done?
Question: My 8 yr old daughter has goo cumin out of here ear and loads of dirty wax the bck of her ear is very red and swollen what do I do?
Hi, thanks for using healthcare magic
It sounds like your daughter has otitis externa which is inflammation/infection of the auricle and external ear canal.
Children can also have otitis media which is inflammation/infection of the middle ear but this is usually associated with fever, associated cold symptoms and , on examination, changes in the ear drum.
Otitis externa presents with the symptoms and signs you have described- pain, swelling and discharge. Some persons may also complain of itching, hearing loss and ringing in the ear.
It is treated by - (1)pain medication (if you have children's panadol or advil available for her you can use that)
(2) the debris in the ear is normally removed by a doctor. This would allow the other medication ,which is placed in the ear, to work better.
(3)antibiotic/ mild steroid drops which may be available over the counter.The steroid aspect helps to reduce the inflammation in the ear.
These are used for at least a week in most cases, your doctor may suggest an alternative time period based on his or her examination findings.
In addition to the above, it is best to keep the ear try during the course of treatment. If she is involved in swimming, she would need to avoid it for at least 2 to 3 days and following that she would need to keep her head above water until the treatment is completed.
i hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
It sounds like your daughter has otitis externa which is inflammation/infection of the auricle and external ear canal.
Children can also have otitis media which is inflammation/infection of the middle ear but this is usually associated with fever, associated cold symptoms and , on examination, changes in the ear drum.
Otitis externa presents with the symptoms and signs you have described- pain, swelling and discharge. Some persons may also complain of itching, hearing loss and ringing in the ear.
It is treated by - (1)pain medication (if you have children's panadol or advil available for her you can use that)
(2) the debris in the ear is normally removed by a doctor. This would allow the other medication ,which is placed in the ear, to work better.
(3)antibiotic/ mild steroid drops which may be available over the counter.The steroid aspect helps to reduce the inflammation in the ear.
These are used for at least a week in most cases, your doctor may suggest an alternative time period based on his or her examination findings.
In addition to the above, it is best to keep the ear try during the course of treatment. If she is involved in swimming, she would need to avoid it for at least 2 to 3 days and following that she would need to keep her head above water until the treatment is completed.
i hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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