Middle ear infections are common in children and often follow a cold. They cause earache, a temperature, and sometimes reduced hearing or fluid from the ear.
Our pharmacist will examine the ear with an otoscope and ask about the symptoms. Most cases improve on their own within a few days, so we will often recommend pain relief and a review rather than antibiotics.
Where antibiotics are appropriate, they can be supplied on the spot under NHS Pharmacy First for children aged 1 to 17. We will explain how to manage the pain either way, since that is what matters most to a child.
