Earaches and ear pain are relatively common in children and are most often caused by infections
Parents are advised to follow essential NHS advice in cases where their child has a common symptom. This crucially involves steering clear of three things that could worsen the situation, while also considering consulting a pharmacist for further guidance.
In a post to X yesterday, the NHS said: “If your child is struggling with earache, your local pharmacist could help. Pharmacists can give advice and treatments for earache and can also direct you to other medical help if necessary.”
Earaches and ear pain are relatively common in children and are most often caused by infections. While they aren’t usually serious, symptoms can be incredibly painful and may cause significant distress.
To tackle this, parents may be tempted to clean the ears with cotton buds, but the NHS advises against this approach. Instead, it’s worth considering the use of painkillers, like paracetamol or ibuprofen, provided the child can safely take them.
Any other attempts to remove earwax should also be avoided, and allowing water inside the ears may further worsen symptoms, too. Official NHS advice adds: “Most earaches get better on their own but get medical help if symptoms do not improve within two to three days.
“Get help sooner if you’re worried about other symptoms, such as a high temperature or fluid leaking from the ear.” While older children may openly complain about ear pain, the same may not be true for younger children, making it more difficult to identify.
In these cases, the NHS explains that parents should look out for the following symptoms:
- Rubbing or pulling on the ears
- Do not react to some sounds
- Have a temperature of 38 °C or above
- Are more irritable or restless
- Are off their food
- Keep losing their balance
Beyond this, the health service advises against attempting to diagnose the cause yourself. Seeking GP advice is crucial, especially in cases where you or your child has an earache and:
- It has lasted for more than two to three days
- Feel generally unwell
- Have fluid coming from the ear
- Have hearing loss or a change in hearing
- Have something stuck in the ear
- Your child is under two and has earache in both ears
- Have a very high temperature or feel hot and shivery
- Have swelling around the ear
For more information, head to the NHS website.
Avoid three things when treating an earache
According to the NHS, you should not:
- Put anything inside the ears, like cotton buds
- Try to remove earwax
- Allow water to get inside the ear
Instead, use painkillers when suitable and consult a health professional for information on further treatment where necessary.
