How is otitis media transmitted

If, however, the symptoms are not resolved in 48 hours, the child should be re-examined. Ear infections are very common in children.

But there are things parents can do to reduce the number of ear infections their children may have. Ear infections are not contagious or spread from one person to another, but the colds that result in ear infections are. Colds are spread when germs are released from the nose or mouth during coughing or sneezing. Anything that can reduce the spread of germs will help reduce ear infections. Because most ear infections occur in children under the age of three, parents can play an active role in preventing them:.

If, despite your best efforts, you think that your child has an ear infection, make sure that he or she is examined by a doctor or health caregiver. And, if there is an infection, be sure to follow the recommended treatment approaches. Always contact your child's doctor or health caregiver first!

Navigation menu. What is acute otitis media? When should a parent suspect an ear infection? How is an ear infection diagnosed? How is an ear infection treated? Of course, differences in children, and the severity of the illness, may change these choices. Is follow-up care necessary? Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Pneumococcal Disease. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Sign in. Get started Create a course Free courses. Course content View course content. Download this course Download this course for use offline or for other devices. About this course 84 hours study 1 Level 1: Introductory Course description. Communicable Diseases If you create an account, you can set up a personal learning profile on the site.

Create account See more courses. Measles is associated with several complications in young children, including AOM and pneumonia. Dry your ears thoroughly after swimming or showering. Use a towel to dry your ears well. Tilt your head to hold each ear facing down to allow water to escape the ear canal. Pull your earlobe in different directions while your ear is faced down to help water drain out.

If you still have water left in your ears, consider using a hair dryer to move air within the ear canal. Hold the dryer several inches from your ear. Don't put objects in your ear canal including cotton-tip swabs, pencils, paperclips, or fingers. Don't try to remove ear wax. Ear wax helps protect your ear canal from infection. If you think that your ear canal is blocked by ear wax, consult your healthcare provider.