Dear Dr Ombeva,
My daughter of three years had her ears aching last night. Today, I see that it’s burst with dry whitish stuff. She doesn’t want to go to the doctor. I don’t know if I read somewhere that by the time the pus comes out, it’s getting better. She has no fever at all. Just a bit cranky. Some pus just dried around the wall of the ear and peeling off. I suspect it’s been draining and I hadn’t noticed
Prisca
Dear Prisca,
I think your daughter has an ear infection. Often, an ear infection in a child comes with high fear, ear pain and irritability. Sometimes, they may have a flu and low grade fever, then after a few days they develop ear pain. By the time pus starts running out of the ear, the infection has become chronic, and most of the time the fever has reduced and antibiotics at that stage are not so helpful.
Acute otitis media means that fluid (usually pus) is in the middle ear, causing pain, redness of the eardrum, and possible fever. Kids are prone to developing ear infections in the first 2 to 4 years of life for several reasons: First, their eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal than those of adults, which lets bacteria and viruses find their way into the middle ear more easily. The tubes are also narrower and less stiff, so more at risk for blockage.
Secondly, the adenoids, which are gland-like structures located in the back of the upper throat near the eustachian tubes, are large in children and can interfere with the opening of the eustachian tubes.
A number of other factors can contribute to kids getting ear infections, such as second hand exposure to cigarette smoke, bottle-feeding, and childcare attendance. Boys develop ear infections more often than girls, as do kids with a family history of ear infections.
I advise you take the child to the doctor to be reviewed. The doctor may advise a cotton wool weak for the draining pus, give some painkiller/analgesic syrup for a day or two to sort out the crankiness or maybe prescribe a more superior antibiotic in addition.
— Dr Ombeva Malande is a paediatrics and child health expert