Question
A 3-year-old girl, just started kindergarten, has been complaining of itchy and painful ears lately. She occasionally notices yellow fluid coming out, along with a slight fever. How should a child with otitis media and yellow discharge be treated?
Answer
Treating pediatric otitis media first involves giving the child some symptomatic anti-inflammatory medication. In addition to systemic medication, regional treatment can also be performed using anti-inflammatory ear drops. If the symptoms are mainly ear pain, consider giving some painkillers. If the child has a fever, parents can administer some antipyretic drugs. In severe cases, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. If there are multiple acute severe episodes or if there is a perforation of the eardrum, timely surgical treatment should be performed. During treatment, it is also important to ensure that the child maintains a light diet and enhances nutritional supplementation to aid in early recovery.