Question

My newborn is seven months old and has recently been frequently seen scratching their ears and hitting their head. I took them to see a doctor, who said the ear canal was red and swollen. They prescribed triamcinolone acetonide chloramphenicol solution drops for the baby. After four applications, I noticed that the ear treated with the drops appeared particularly white. I would like to ask if this is normal? Can I continue to use it? If this medication should not be used anymore, how should I treat it? Does this medication have any effects on newborns?

Answer

According to your description, the baby’s ear appearing white may be a side effect of using the triamcinolone acetonide chloramphenicol solution. It is recommended that you closely observe the situation. If the medication is effective and the baby stops scratching their ears and hitting their head, you can continue to use it until the symptoms improve. After discontinuing the medication, the ear color should gradually return to normal. If there is no improvement, you should immediately stop using it and switch to erythromycin eye drops, which is also a common and effective treatment method. I hope these suggestions can help you, and wish your baby a speedy recovery!