What can treat a child's ear infection and a runny nose?

Question

Hello doctor,

My 2-year-old daughter has been unusually fussy, crying more than normal, and has a persistent fever. She is also having difficulty breathing, especially at night. She frequently tugs at her ears and has a runny nose.

Could this be a pneumococcal ear infection or pneumonia?
I am also concerned about meningitis. Should I be worried?
What tests should be done to diagnose her condition, and are there specific antibiotics for treatment?
She has received some vaccines, but I am unsure if she is fully protected against pneumococcal infections. Could you please advise on the next steps?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your query and can understand your concern.

Yes, it seems likely that your baby has an ear infection associated with a runny nose. Often when children have runny noses, since the ear and nose are connected inside by a tube, it is likely that the ear gets blocked too, leading to a glue ear. That could be the reason for the tugging of the ear and sleeping difficulties. It is challenging to attribute it to pneumococcus at this stage. I would not think of meningitis right away unless you give a history of altered sensorium or seizures.

However since the fever is persistent, I would like you to use Paracetamol syrup every six-hour, do tepid sponging, and get the following investigations done

Investigations to be done:

Complete blood counts since the fever is persistent.
CRP (C-reactive protein) to assess the need for antibiotics

Treatment plan:

Syrup Paracetamol six-hourly.
Saline nasal drops, two drops into each nose every two hours.
Tepid sponging for fever.
Syrup Cetrizine for cold Since you have not mentioned her weight, I cannot recommend the dose as of now Please follow up with the weight of your child.