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Child Has Ear Pain, Itching And Swollen Outer Ear. Gave Benadryl, Steroid Shot And Antibiotics. Recommendations?
My daughter woke up today with ear pain itching and swollen outer ear. I cleaned with hydrogen peroxide and gave her Benadryl. At 5:30 pm it was more swollen and she complained of itching. I took her to urgent care. The doctor first thought it was swimmers ear but her ear canal was fine. Then he thought possible bug bite. He gave her a steroid shot and put her on antibiotics. He said to continue giving Benadryl. She is waking up crying with her ear. It is oozing on the outer ear some. Should I be worried?
Wed, 3 Jul 2013
Hi,
Thanks for writing to health care magic.
Does your baby have fever also? If there is associated fever with ear discharge it could be acute suppurative otitis media ... A infection of the middle ear.
In such a scenario pain behind the ear along with swelling suggests mastoiditis and is a emergency.
Antibiotics are required in such a scenario.
Other probabilities causing the problem you described could be a pustule in the external ear, insect bite etc
Continue to ask further queries as required.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Dr Y V Siva Sankara Murty
M.D.(Pediatrics)
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Thanks for writing to health care magic.
Does your baby have fever also? If there is associated fever with ear discharge it could be acute suppurative otitis media ... A infection of the middle ear.
In such a scenario pain behind the ear along with swelling suggests mastoiditis and is a emergency.
Antibiotics are required in such a scenario.
Other probabilities causing the problem you described could be a pustule in the external ear, insect bite etc
Continue to ask further queries as required.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Dr Y V Siva Sankara Murty
M.D.(Pediatrics)
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
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