How Can You Help?
Okay, you looked at the symptoms, and you determined it's not teething but an ear infection. Cool. Consult your pediatrician to find the best treatment option for your child. Here are some common options, according to the Mayo Clinic:
- Wait and see
- In milder cases, it's best for the infection to heal on its own
- Over-the-counter pain relief
- Use the correct pain reliever dosage specific to your baby's age
- Anesthetic drops
- Antibiotics
- Depending on their age, length of infection, and fever temperature, antibiotics may be recommended
- Tubes
- With more severe and frequent ear infections, a procedure to drain the liquid with tubes is a possibility
If, however, you know your baby is teething, you have some options as well. Some common teething treatments include:
- Massage:
- Gently massage their gums with your finger or gauze
- Spoon:
- Numb the gums with a chilled spoon
- Teething ring:
- Give them a rubber chilled (not frozen) teething ring
- Avoid benzocaine:
- A popular ingredient found in many topical painkillers, it's been found to ineffective and but can also cause a severe blood disorder
While both teething and ear infections are unrelated, neither is underrated. Both require a proper diagnosis and swift and sensitive treatment from parents. If you have any questions, reach out to your dentist or pediatrician. Your baby's smiles are worth it.