children’s health

What Every Parent Should Know About Ear Pain

Crying, fussy babies and whiny children who seem extra clumsy may all have one thing in common – they could be suffering from ear pain. When your little one is miserable and looks or acts sick, it is often so hard for parents to know what is wrong. At Medco ER & Urgent Care of Plano, TX, we’re experts on children’s ear pain issues and we can take the guesswork out of parenting.

“Ear infections are so prevalent in babies and children. It’s something every parent will encounter at one time or another,” said Medco ER & Urgent Care’s Medical Director, Dr. Nasir Khan. “It’s hard to know what to do when your baby is extra fussy, but we’re always available to take a look to make sure it’s not an infection.”

Common Causes for Ear Pain¹

• Bacteria from a cold, virus, sore throat or upper respiratory infection
• Blocked Eustachian tubes
• Fluid behind ear drum
• Build-up of wax
• Trauma to ear
• Foreign object in the ear
• Swimmer’s ear
• Secondhand smoke
• Propped up baby bottle
• Teething

Symptoms of an Ear Infection

The first thing you may notice is your baby is frequently tugging or touching his ear. If he is grabbing his ear and crying, an ear condition might be causing his discomfort. Laying your baby down may make the pain worse, so she might cry when you put her down. You may notice discharge from the ear – clear fluid, wax buildup, yellow fluid or even blood. If the ear is infected, your child may run a fever. Your baby may be extra fussy and crying a lot. She may react to loud sounds or she might not react to quiet conversation. His balance may be off. These are all indicators that something is not right with the ear canal.

Treatment for Ear Infections

“You can try ibuprofen or acetaminophen at home to relieve the ear pain,” said Dr. Khan. “Be sure to follow the correct dosage. Also, the baby may experience some relief if you apply a warm compress – but not too hot – to the ear. But after a day, it’s time to bring your child in to Medco ER & Urgent Care so we can look inside the ear canal.”

Many ear infections will resolve without antibiotics. Antibiotics won’t help infections caused by viruses, but they will help with bacterial infections. Your physician will want to know if the child had been experiencing a sore throat or cold prior to the ear pain. A careful diagnosis will determine if antibiotics will help your child.

Chronic ear infections may need to be treated with the insertion of tubes to aid in drainage. Your child’s pediatrician can discuss this option with you if ear infections and ear pain are recurring.

When should I bring my child to Medco ER & Urgent Care?

If your child has been experiencing ear pain for a day or longer, it is time to come to Medco ER & Urgent Care where you will be seen by a board-certified physician almost immediately upon arrival. We’re open all day and night, every day of the year so you can get the care your child needs right away.

Our physicians are experienced in pediatrics and are good with children. Our fun pediatric exam room features a space theme and interesting things to do to keep our youngest patients relaxed and happy. We work hard to make sure your little one starts to feel better again.

• Plano location:

3960 Legacy Drive, Plano TX 75023 (on the corner of Legacy and Coit Road)

            Call us @ 469-392-4000¹https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/ear-infections-children

Pediatric Ear, Nose & Throat Conditions We Treat

When your child’s sore throat gets worse, when ear pain flares up, when sinuses become congested, or when something happens to get stuck in the throat, it is time to visit Medco ER & Urgent Care. For ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions that affect infants, children and adolescents, different procedures are used than for adults. That’s why we have an expansive pediatric care available—so we can provide the specialized treatment that is right for each patient.

“Babies and children have common ENT concerns, and often they are quite urgent,” said Medco ER & Urgent Care’s Regional Medical Director, Dr. Tariq Vora. “Our board-certified physicians with pediatric expertise treat everything from ear infections to foreign bodies stuck in the throat, ear or nose. Whatever the problem may be, we can diagnose and treat it, or refer to a specialist, if necessary.”

Common Pediatric ENT Conditions  

We commonly treat babies, children and teens for conditions such as:

• Ear infections
• Hearing loss
• Sinus infections
• Allergies
• Reflux or difficulty swallowing
• Tonsillitis
• Nosebleeds
• Foreign object in ear, nose or throat
• Ruptured eardrum
• Difficulty breathing
• Swimmer’s ear
• Laryngitis

Specialized Pediatric Care

We have exam rooms that are designed with our youngest patients in mind. Colorful murals help put them at ease. When appropriate, juice and simple snacks are available.

Most importantly, our facilities feature dedicated pediatric equipment so we have the right size equipment for each infant, child or adolescent that comes to us for quality healthcare. Our in-house lab is equipped with rapid strep and flu test that can reduce the time waiting and help to provide timely treatment. We also have various imaging modalities such as ultrasound, MRI and X-rays.

When our facility was designed, it was built to accommodate people of all ages with a special emphasis on pediatrics. We care about our youngest patients and give them the highest level of care possible.

When ENT Conditions Become an Emergency

When your baby or child is having difficulty breathing, is choking, has a fever, shows signs of ear pain, has a foreign object stuck in a passageway, or shows signs of distress, head over to the emergency room immediately.

“We’re open 24/7 every day of the year to make sure we’re ready to receive your child any time there is a medical concern,” said Dr. Vora. “Any time you feel something is not right with your baby or child, don’t hesitate to come in. We can do a fast evaluation and, if it turns out to be minor, we can give you a recommendation of what to do next to save you time and money.”

Fast Help at Medco ER & Urgent Care

When your baby, child or teen is having ear, nose or throat concerns, the board-certified physicians at Medco ER & Urgent Care are here to help find a solution to any medical needs. Our trained staff is experienced in helping little ones feel relaxed and comfortable while we provide excellent pediatric care.

• Plano: 3960 Legacy Drive on the corner of Legacy and Coit Road.

            Call us @ 469-392-4000

5 Ways to Keep Your Child Healthy This School Year

COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected the adult world of health, finance and even social interactions, it has also forced us all to rethink the safety of our children as they go back to school to face a potential influx of germs and infections. And we know that some of these germs could potentially have very serious consequences.

While we all want our kids to get the most out of their education, no one wants to sacrifice their children’s health to that end. At Medco ER & Urgent Care, we’re here to help. Our board-certified physicians have compiled 5 ways you can safeguard your child’s health while school starts back up.

“Despite a solid game plan in place that correlates with the school district’s reentry plan, parents are still concerned about sending their kids to school. However, by adhering to the proper guidelines, the risk of infection can be minimized,” said Medco ER & Urgent Care’s Regional Medical Director, Dr. Tariq Vora.

Tip 1: Immune System Boosters

“The best thing you can do for your child is to nurture a strong immune system,” said Dr. Vora. “Making sure your child gets a balanced diet each day with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, protein, complex carbohydrates and water, eliminating refined sugar and processed foods, and using vitamin supplements are good places to start.”

Establishing a regular bedtime with plenty of hours of sleep is part of teaching your child good sleep hygiene. This is an often overlooked aspect of having a strong, healthy body.

Keep tabs on stress levels. If your child runs at high levels of stress, over time this can impact the immune system. Do what you can to infuse laughter and fun into each day and talk through any difficulties to keep your child healthy and trouble-free.

Tip 2: Sanitize Clothes and Masks Daily

Have your children get in the habit of changing their clothes immediately upon coming home and placing them in the dirty laundry. Cloth masks should be washed each night and paper masks should be disposed of properly (not recycled). It may be more convenient to do a small load of laundry each night to ensure your child has sanitized clothes and mask to start each new day. Don’t forget to disinfect the laundry hamper and wash your own hands afterwards.

Tip 3: Teach Healthy Practices at Home

To prepare your child for a healthy school year and beyond, proper hand washing techniques are crucial. Teach your child to wash his or her hands every time after using the bathroom and before eating. Instruct them to wash hands immediately upon returning home and after changing clothes. Demonstrate the right way to wash between the fingers, under the nails and on the fronts and backs of hands for 20 seconds using soap and water.

Pack hand sanitizer in your child’s backpack for on-the-go cleaning. If your child moves from classroom to classroom throughout the day, consider packing non-bleach disinfecting wipes so each desk and chair can be cleaned before use.

Tip 4: Masks are a Must

Even more than backpacks, masks are essential back-to-school gear now for every student. But it’s not enough to give a mask to your child and send him or her out the door. Kids need to know the proper way to wear the mask – covering both the nose and the chin – and that they are not supposed to remove the mask even to answer questions or to talk to friends, and they should not share or exchange masks with friends.

“We should teach our kids how to sneeze and cough when wearing a mask. They should learn to cough or sneeze into the mask. If you can, pack an extra mask each day. Then, your child can swap out when it has gotten dirty,” said Dr. Vora.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle parents face in mask training is getting their kids to wear them for long periods of time. This actually may require practice at home to get the children desensitized to the mask.

Tip 5: Monitor Temperature and Symptoms

Taking your child’s temperature each day can be painless with a digital thermometer. This constant vigilance will help ensure your child is feeling his best at the beginning of the day. If your child has a headache, cough or runny nose, keep him/her home to be on the safe side, and follow up with a health care provider.

Get fast treatment at Medco ER & Urgent Care

At Medco ER, we are here all day, every day, to take care of your family when needed. Our board-certified physicians are always available and ready to assess your child’s health at a moment’s notice. If you are worried about exposure to coronavirus, talk to us about any noticeable symptoms. We can help.

• Plano: 3960 Legacy Drive on the corner of Legacy and Coit Road.

            Call us @ 469-392-4000.