To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
If you have made an
appointment with your child's doctor, you can help your doctor diagnose and
treat your child's condition by being prepared to answer the following
- Did your child have an injury to the ear? If so,
describe when and how the injury occurred.
- When did the pain
- Has the pain been constant or does it come and
- Does anything make the pain better or worse?
symptoms make you think your child is having ear pain?
- Has your
child ever been treated for an ear infection in the past? If so:
- How long ago was he or she
- What medicine did you use?
- Did your child
finish all of the medicine?
- Did you have a follow-up checkup after
the medicine was finished?
- Does your child have ear tubes in
- Does your child have other symptoms, such as fever, a runny
nose, a cough, or congestion? If so, how long have these symptoms been
- What immunizations has your child had?
- What home treatment measures have you used? Be sure to
include nonprescription medicines you have given your child.
- Do you
suspect a hearing problem? Describe the hearing problems you have noticed. How
did your child respond to sounds before and after you noticed the
- Does your child wear hearing aids?
- Does your
child have any