Important Ways To Prevent Ear Infections In Children

When your little one is suffering with the pain of an ear infection, you are probably like most parents and at your wit's end to figure out what to do to stop it. While ear infections in small children are extremely common, a new parent may find that dealing with the misery it causes their child is tough. Check out these facts about ear infection and learn how you can do a lot to prevent your child from ending up at the pediatrician in terrible pain.

Be Particular About Daycare Settings

Today, many families have two working parents, meaning the need for child care is great. However, taking your time to choose a daycare with few children in it is a good idea to help lower the risk of your child catching viruses or picking up bacteria that lead to ear infections. Choosing a daycare with fewer children can also lower your child's exposure to bacteria that has become resistant to antibiotics. The first treatment option for ear infection and other respiratory related issues in children is a run of antibiotics, causing some strains to grow resistant to their effects.

Vaccines Play A Vital Role

A streptococcus pneumoniae bacterium, also referred to as pneumococcus, is a leading cause of ear infections in children. Today, vaccines are available to help your child's immune system fight off this bacterium. Making sure you discuss the conjugate pneumococcal vaccine with your child's pediatrician is vital to preventing ear infections caused by this strain of bacteria. The conjugate pneumococcal vaccine is safe for infants and toddlers under five years old.

Bottle Feeding Can Be The Cause Of Recurring Ear Infections

Never allowing your child to fall asleep with a bottle in his or her mouth is important for a few reasons, one being the prevention of ear infections. While most parents know that going to sleep with a bottle can cause tooth decay, you should know that because the Eustachian tubes, especially in small infants, are not developed, fluid can build up faster and easier. When fluid from a bottle drips into your little one's ear, a likely scenario when a child falls asleep with one in his or her mouth, the result is faster fluid buildup behind the eardrum. When too much fluid collects behind the eardrum, it is the perfect environment for the growth of viruses and bacterium that cause ear infections and severe pain.

Learning more about how to prevent ear infections is vital to your little one's good health and ability to hear well throughout life. Take the time to ask your pediatrician, like those at Ada Pediatrics PA, about all the ways you help prevent ear infections so your child can avoid the awful pain they cause.