Ear infections and ear pain are two of the most common reasons for calls and visits to the pediatrician. Otitis Media (OM), or “ear infection,” is an inflammation behind the eardrum that usually develops after your child has had a cold for several days. The main symptoms are pain (especially with swallowing or lying down), fever and disrupted sleep. If you think your child has an ear infection, here a few tips to keep your child comfortable until we have the opportunity to see them in the office:

1. Control your child’s pain with plain acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (motrin or advil). Remember these medications may take ½ hour to 1 hour to provide relief, and that infants less than 6 months of age CANNOT be given ibuprofen.
2. A warm compress (a sock filled with salt and microwaved for a few seconds or a warm washcloth) can be helpful if placed just behind the ear. Remove the compress after 15 minutes to prevent burns.
3. A few drops of clove oil, which can be found in health food stores, or Auralgan, a prescription topical anesthetic, will also temporarily numb the eardrum and provide relief. NOTE: Do NOT put Auralgan drops into your child’s ear if he/she has ear tubes in place, or may have a perforated ear drum. Auralgan can safely be combined with oral antibiotics and either acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
4. Elevate the head of the bed by having an older child sleep on an extra pillow or by gently elevating one end of the crib mattress for younger children.

After your child has seen their doctor and if antibiotics have been prescribed (not every bout of an ear infection requires antibiotic treatment), you will likely need to continue to provide pain and fever relief for an additional 48 hours (sometimes longer) until the infection is under control and your child is comfortable.