Acute purulent otitis of the middle ear in children, the temperature does not fall

At the first signs of illness in a child, parents try to find out if his temperature is elevated. Temperature readings are one of the main signs by which the child’s health status is determined. If the thermometer readings rise above 38 degrees, this indicates the development of the disease. In this case, it is necessary to take appropriate measures to reduce it, and if it does not subside, then it is necessary to call a doctor or an ambulance.

Taking a small child's temperature requires a lot of effort. After all, placing a thermometer under the armpit of a baby or a newborn is quite difficult, but you still need to hold it for at least 5 minutes. Recently, the method of measuring temperature through the ear canal has been gaining popularity. This material will tell you what the advantage of this method is.

What devices can measure children's temperature?

One of the fundamental factors in determining reliable temperature readings in a child is the purchase of a thermometer. The baby should have his own personal thermometer with which he can take temperature measurements. We will find out what thermometers exist further.

Mercury thermometer. The very first type of thermometer, which is still popular today. Its main advantage is maximum accuracy of readings. The disadvantage of a mercury thermometer is that its glass body can be easily broken and damaged by fragments. Even if the child does not get hurt, the main danger that the device hides is the release of toxic mercury vapor. To measure the temperature, you need to hold the device for at least 5 minutes, which is also a significant drawback. Despite all the shortcomings, this device even today ranks first in popularity.
Digital Thermometer. Electronic thermometers are popular, they differ not only in cost, but also in quality. A significant disadvantage of electronic devices is the fact that they display the value with an error of 0.1-0.3 degrees. An electronic thermometer for children can be used to measure rectal temperature.
Infrared device. The device is based on an infrared sensor, through which temperature is determined. Such thermometers have a number of advantages, among which we should highlight the high speed of data acquisition, as well as the high accuracy of the results. It is with the help of infrared devices that measurements are taken in the ears. Such devices are not recommended for use by children under 3 months. This is due to the fact that the device may display an incorrect result, which is due to the structural features of the ear canal in newborns.
Special stripes. Another device that looks like a regular white tape. To measure, just stick the tape to the child’s forehead and then read the result. Strips give an inaccurate result, so they are used extremely rarely when the main thermometer is not at hand, for example, during a trip.

To measure your baby's body temperature, you need to decide on the choice of device. Before buying a device, you still need to find out how it is measured.

It is important to know! When choosing a device, it is important to pay attention not only to its cost, but also to the manufacturer. If it is a mercury thermometer, then the scale on it should be clearly visible. The electronic thermometer can be checked for quality of operation.

Treatment of otitis media

After examining the child, the doctor develops the correct therapeutic treatment regimen.
If a child’s ear hurts due to the penetration of bacteria, and the temperature remains quite high, then therapy may contain antibiotics. Otitis media of the ear is treated with drops, decongestants and vasoconstrictor drops in the nose, which allow the pus to leave the tympanic cavity through the auditory canal.

In case of fungal infection of the ear, ointments are prescribed, and if the ear hurts due to a boil, then it must be opened.

Removing the wax plug that caused ear pain always leaves behind inflammatory marks on the walls of the ear canal. Therefore, the doctor always prescribes anti-inflammatory drops to the child in this case.

The most difficult to treat is the internal type of otitis, the so-called labyrinthitis. If the moment is missed, few people succeed in regaining their hearing acuity. But in most cases it is possible to stop the development of the disease at the second stage. Therefore, be vigilant, always respond adequately to a child’s complaint, his behavior, and never start treatment on your own, without a doctor’s recommendation. The advanced stage of internal otitis leads to deafness, as a result of which the child will not be able to hear the sounds of wildlife without a special hearing aid.

Where is children's temperature measured?

The traditional method of measuring body temperature is to place a thermometer on the armpit. While measuring the temperature in the armpit is not a problem for an adult or a child over 2 years old, difficulties may arise with children. In addition to measuring the temperature under the arms, the following measurement options are available:

in the anus;
in the mouth;
in the ear;
on the forehead.

Pediatricians recommend using one of four options for infants and newborns. This is due, first of all, to safety, because to measure in the butt, ear or mouth you will need an electronic or infrared thermometer. Armpits are the last option that can be preferred when measuring the temperature of newborns and infants. The temperature in the mouth is measured using an electronic thermometer, which can be made in the form of a pacifier or pacifier.

It is important to know! To simplify the measurement process, it is recommended to purchase a thermometer in the form of a dummy, which will speed up the procedure for obtaining information about temperature values.

Features of measuring temperature in the ear

The method of determining a baby's temperature using an ear is quite common in Germany. Its advantage is the high speed of data acquisition, which is up to 5 seconds.

It is important to know! In children under 3 months of age, the ear canal is very small, so the use of this option is unacceptable.

Infants whose ear has a small diameter should use this thermometer with caution. In order to determine the value, you will need to slightly pull the baby's earlobe up and then back. After straightening the ear canal until the eardrum is visually traced, the probe can be inserted into the child's ear.

It is unacceptable to use other types of thermometers to measure temperature in the ear, since they are not intended for this. Infrared probes are equipped with special protective attachments and limiters, which eliminate the possibility of damage to the ear canal. After 3-5 seconds, you can remove the device and read the value. The normal temperature in the ear is 37.4-37.8 degrees. In children over the age of one year, its value is 37.2-37.4 degrees.

How to measure the temperature in the anus correctly

To take measurements in the anus, it is necessary to treat the tip of the device with Vaseline. This will reduce discomfort when inserting the device into the anus. The baby should be placed on its back or side, then press its legs and hold them firmly with one hand.

With your other hand you need to insert the thermometer into the hole and then hold it for about 1-2 minutes. Electronic thermometers are equipped with a function through which the device signals that measurements are ready.

It is important to know! It is prohibited to use a mercury thermometer to determine rectal temperature.

How to do this correctly?

Elimination of hyperthermia is not limited to the prescription of antipyretics. Temperature during otitis in children and adults requires an integrated approach to therapy.

Additional recommendations:

Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking teas and fruit drinks helps to cope with intoxication of the body and reduce body temperature by increasing sweating.
Use of external treatment methods. It is effective to apply cool heating pads to areas of passage of large vascular networks (elbow creases, popliteal fossae). Rubbing with diluted alcohol or vodka is acceptable. After treating the skin, you should wait for it to dry completely, then cover yourself with a blanket.
Elimination of warming up. During hyperthermia, heat compresses are contraindicated.
Strict adherence to prescription regimens. Abuse of antipyretics can be harmful: excessive amounts of NSAIDs suppress one’s own immunity and cause a number of side effects.

In what cases does temperature indicate complications?

Several signs will indicate the occurrence of adverse consequences. You should pay attention to how the temperature changes during otitis (to what numbers it rises, how many days it lasts), whether new symptoms have appeared.

Alarm signals:

Hyperthermia does not disappear after 7 days of intensive treatment.
The temperature reaches high numbers and does not go down.
The main complaints have increased.

Treatment for fever

To eliminate hyperthermia, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are used.

Representatives:

Paracetamol.
Ibuprofen.
Aspirin (contraindicated in children).

Taking NSAIDs leads to suppression of symptoms rather than elimination of the underlying pathology. For example, a purulent form of the disease requires the prescription of antibiotics that can overcome the source of infection. To reduce inflammatory edema and improve the patency of the Eustachian tubes, vasoconstrictor nasal drops are prescribed. Forms of medications, active ingredients, dosage are determined by an otolaryngologist.

The type of treatment depends on how severe and how long the elevated temperature during otitis media lasts. In some cases, normalization requires the release of accumulated pus through a gap in the ear membrane. More often this happens without outside intervention. If perforation does not occur, the pressure on the membrane increases; tympanocentesis (puncture of the ear membrane) is used under local anesthesia.

Can otitis media occur without fever?

Normal body temperature will be observed against the background of uncomplicated external otitis. The immune system manages to localize the site of inflammation and suppress its activity. An increase in temperature will be observed exclusively in the affected area.

The situation is different with middle ear infection: hyperthermia is systemic in nature due to the peculiarities of the blood supply to the specified anatomical region. If otitis media occurs without fever, it is usually possible to avoid prescribing antibacterial drugs. Treatment is based on watchful waiting with symptomatic therapy.

Fever is a symptom that requires careful attention, not panic. An increase in body temperature serves as a signal that the body's defenses are in an active state. You should not interfere with the functioning of the immune system when the thermometer reading barely exceeds 37.0° C. The key to successful treatment is the competent use of anti-inflammatory drugs and following the basic therapy regimen prescribed by the doctor.

Author: Kristina Mishchenko, doctor, especially for Moylor.ru

Useful video about otitis media

Otitis is always accompanied by shooting pain in the ear and a rise in temperature, sometimes up to high levels of 39-40 degrees. A similar symptom occurs when a bacterial infection enters the body, the fight against which begins with an increase in body temperature.

It takes several days for the immune system to restore thermoregulation on its own, but if this does not happen, the child requires medication.

Normal temperature values in children

If the measurements were carried out correctly, then the normal temperature for a child using different measurement methods is:

armpit – 36.3-36.9 degrees;
in the ear – 37.3-37.7 degrees;
on the forehead – 36.3-36.8 degrees;
in the anus – 37.3-37.7 degrees.
in the mouth – 36.9-37.3 degrees.

Do not despair if you find that the thermometer shows a few tenths of degrees above or below the specified limits. This phenomenon is acceptable, but the most important thing is that the value does not exceed 38 degrees when measured under the armpit or 38.5 when measured in the ear canal. In this case, you will need to give your baby antipyretic drugs.

To summarize, it is important to note that normal ear temperature in children under one year of age is one of the important methods for determining its plausible values. It is also worth emphasizing that you can insert a thermometer into a child’s ear only when the baby is not sleeping. During sleep, the child may twitch or stir, thereby damaging his ear canal. If a child does not have a compelling reason for his parents to measure his temperature, then this should not be done for no reason.

How long does the temperature last for otitis media?

Most parents do not know how long a child’s high temperature during otitis will last, so they begin to bring it down from the first hours of illness. This approach is fundamentally wrong, since this is how the body fights infection. If a child is given an antipyretic drug, the temperature returns to normal, but the microbes continue to multiply and spread to healthy tissue.

A child with otitis media will have a high temperature until the body turns on all its defense mechanisms and fights off the infection. This may take from 3 days to a week. That is, if by 5-7 days the body temperature has not returned to normal, it is necessary to sound the alarm.