297 326
FAMILY HEALTH
Ever heard of “Si ngapore
ear”? (No, neither had we.)
Ear infections are common in
moist, humid environments,
says ENT specialist DR JEEVE
KANAGALINGAM. Let’s find
out more.
The most common cause of ear
pain is an infection.
This could either be a middle ear
infection (
acute otitis media
) or an ear
canal infection (
acute otitis externa
).
Sometimes, mainly in adults and only
very rarely in children, ear pain may be
caused by a problem elsewhere. This
“referred” pain can be caused by dental
infections, inflammation of the jaw joint
or arthritis of the neck.
IS FOR
EAR
INFECTIONS
What are the signs of ear
infection in a child?
Middle ear
infections cause sudden
pain, causing the child to wake up
during the night, crying in distress. They
may run a fever, and may tug at their ear.
Ear canal
infections, on the other hand,
tend to come on gradually. There is
usually a visible foul smelling discharge
from the ear, and the ear lobe may be
red and painful when touched.
Middle ear infections are common
,
and most children have a couple of
infections in early childhood. Often, they
follow on from a common cold, and are
bacterial. Some are so mild that they
may even go unnoticed!
Ear canal infections
(
otitis externa
)
can be caused by swimming –
particularly long periods in the water
during a beach holiday – and may be
due to bacteria or fungi. Fungal ear
infections are often intensely itchy and
may continue for many weeks. Common
in the tropics, this infection is often
called “Singapore ear”!
To treat middle ear infections that
are not associated with a high fever
,
recent research suggests that a good
painkiller such as Ibuprofen may be
most helpful. Antibiotics are often not
necessary, except in children under the
age of two, or in severe cases.
Ear canal
infections
are best treated with antibiotic
eardrops and keeping the ear as dry as
possible. In severe cases, youmay need to
consult anENT surgeonandhave your ear
canal cleaned of discharge and debris.
Temporary hearing loss may
follow a middle ear infection.
If you think your child’s hearing seems
poor several weeks after an infection has
passed, do consult your family doctor.
Glue ear (
otitis media
with effusion) is
common in preschool children and can
lead to speech and language delay.
The ENT Practice
#06-62/63 Mount Elizabeth Novena
Hospital
38 Irrawaddy Road
6694 0600 | entpractice.sg