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Here’s help to make those on-the-spot decisions when your little one wakes up on a weekday and isn?t feeling his best.
1. Your child woke up in the middle of the night screaming that her ear hurt. You settled her back to sleep and in the morning she says it feels better.
What could it be"
Ear infection (acute otitis media) Common during a cold, ear infections have an abrupt onset, and may be associated with a fever, nausea and vomiting. They are typically worse when the child is lying down, chewing or sucking, and may cause transient hearing problems. Ear infections often feel worse at night, but by morning the pain may be gone.
Fluid behind eardrum (serous otitis media) This usually occurs as a result of blockage in the Eustachian tube ? the passageway that connects the middle ear to the throat. It causes a popping sound and a sense of fullness in the ear, much like the feeling you get on an airplane. Sore throat or dental issues Pain can radiate, and a child with a sore throat may also complain of ear pain.
What should I do"
Send her to school" A school-aged child with ear pain should see a doctor sometime the same day to determine its cause. In the meantime, she can attend school if she?s feeling reasonably well, has no other health issues and is fever free, is eating and drinking, and her pain is well controlled with acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Keep her home! If your little one still has an earache after taking pain medication, t...