Children generally experience many earaches during the ages of six months to two years. Although fewer may occur after age two, earaches continue to be a problem, through the ages of eight or ten.

Earaches can develop from a variety of causes. Temperature or pressure changes often start temporary earaches. For example, an earache can occur for 10 to 15 minutes after playing outside in cold weather. When the child enters a warm room, the air inside the middle ear warms up, expands, and causes pain. Chewing gum or drinking fluids will help stop the ache. Sore jaw muscles from vigorous chewing can also cause temporary ear pain.

Most earaches are caused by middle ear infections resulting from colds. Even allergies make a person more susceptible to ear infections. Middle ear infections result in inflammation or infection of the space behind the eardrum. As pressure from fluid builds in the middle ear, pain worsens. The eardrum may tear and drain. The tear usually heals in a few days.

If your child swims a lot and his ear hurts when the earlobe is moved up and down, he or she may have swimmer's ear. General care includes rinsing the ear canal with a few drops of half alcohol and half water. Use acetaminophen for pain relief. Avoid swimming until the symptoms are gone.

If an earache lasts more than two hours, seek medical help. The only way to know if the child has an ear infection is to look at the eardrum. If the pain is caused by an infection, then the medical care can be given. Follow these self care tips for earaches:
* Give acetaminophen for pain. Pain may also be relieved by putting an ice bag or ice in a wet washcloth over the painful ear for 20 minutes every hour. If pain is not relieved, contact your healthcare provider.
* Do not use any ear drops unless recommended by your pediatrician.
* Wipe away pus or other fluid that may be draining from the ear. Do not plug the ear canal with cotton.
* Seek medical care immediately if the child is sick, the pain is severe, there is drainage from the ear, walking is not normal, the neck is stiff, or the ear was injured before the earache began.

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