Question
A 11-year-old boy, in elementary school, has been experiencing ear pain for the past few days. He has noticed yellow earwax discharge and is also suffering from headaches and fever. How should earache in children with otitis media be treated?
Answer
Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications are the current methods and drugs for clinical treatment of pediatric otitis media. Parents can choose symptomatic treatments, including regional therapy with anti-inflammatory ear drops. For children with prominent earache symptoms, painkillers can be administered. If a child has severe fever, some antipyretic medication should be used appropriately. In severe cases, immediate medical attention is required. If there are repeated acute severe episodes or if there is a perforated eardrum, timely surgical treatment is necessary. Parents should also pay attention to protective measures for their children to prevent recurrent otitis media.