Ear Infections
Next to the common cold, ear infections are the most commonly diagnosed childhood illness in the United States. More than three out of four children will have at least one ear infection by the time they reach three years of age.
An ear infection is characterized by a buildup of fluid in the eardrum that leads to redness, swelling, and pain. Ear infections can be quite painful for little ones who react with crying, sleep disturbances, and ear pulling. So it is no wonder that many parents head straight to their health care provider to ask for a prescription medication that will alleviate their baby's distress.
But according to Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Babycare, of the 10 million antibiotic prescriptions handed out to treat ear infections each year, roughly 9 million did not actually help the children they were given to. In fact, antibiotics should only be used in to treat the most severe ear infections. In most cases, ear infections will dissipate on their own just as quickly without antibiotics.
Ear infections are more common in boys than in girls, in kids whose families have a history of ear infections, and during the winter season when colds are most prevalent. Babies who are exposed to cigarette smoke, who are bottle-fed, or who attend daycare are also more likely to develop ear infections than those who don't.
If your baby is under six months, she should be seen by her pediatrician, particularly if her ear infection is combined with a fever. For older babies though, ear infections are often better treated with pain relief and rest, unless her condition is accompanied by a high fever and/or severe symptoms.
