NEWS

If you live in Medfield and Weston, MA, and need a pediatrician because you are concerned that your child might have an ear infection, book an appointment with one of the trusted team members of the Pediatric Associates of Wellesley. Rest easy knowing your child will be in good hands.

Ear infections (Otitis media) are a common childhood illness. An ear infection is when the middle ear becomes inflamed, and there is fluid build-up behind the eardrum. Most children are likely to have an ear infection at least once in childhood.

What are the symptoms?

There are different ways to tell if your child has an ear infection, but the most common symptoms would be tugging on the ear, fussiness, crying as well as a fever. Children may also struggle to sleep at night or want to sleep upright because lying down causes them pain. There may be fluid draining from the ear. Ear infections can be incredibly painful for your child and, left untreated, can cause damage, including hearing loss or meningitis.

Your pediatrician serving Medfield and Weston, MA, would like you to know that ear infections are often bacterial and usually fall into one of three categories:

  • Acute ear infection (the most common type).
  • Ear infection with effusion (this is when the fluid remains trapped behind the eardrum).
  • Chronic ear infection with effusion (when fluid remains in the ear for a long time and the child gets ear infections repeatedly).

If you are wondering how your child gets an ear infection, you should be aware that it becomes a possibility after your child has had a sore throat, a cold, or an upper respiratory infection.

At an appointment with your pediatrician, you will be asked about your child’s general health and recent medical history. To assist in determining whether your child has an ear infection, they will perform an assessment, including taking your child’s temperature. The doctor will use an instrument called an otoscope to check inside your child’s ear. Upon inspection, if the eardrum is red and bulging, your child has an ear infection.

Contact us

If you are concerned that you are dealing with an ear infection, reach out to your pediatrician serving Medfield and Weston, MA, by contacting the Pediatric Associates of Wellesley to make an appointment at (781) 736-0040 or (508) 359-9200.