What’s Going Around: COVID, stomach bug, swimmer’s ear

This week, pediatricians at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital are seeing an uptick in COVID cases. They are also seeing some upper respiratory viruses, stomach bugs and summer colds.

UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics in York and Spring Grove is also reporting cases of COVID this week. They also continue to see viral syndrome with symptoms like fever, congestion, and cough. They also report stomach bugs and swimmer’s ear this week.

WellSpan Community Pediatrics reports colds, seasonal allergies and rashes to due insect bites and stings.

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Physicians Roseville Pediatrics reports both inner ear infections and swimmer’s ear this week. They’re also still seeing a lot of viruses, which are causing fevers and upset stomachs. They continue to see a lot of strep throat and diagnosed a few cases of walking pneumonia.

Dr. Joan Thode offered the following advice about swimmer’s ear:

“The medical term for swimmer’s ear is otitis externa, which is an infection of the ear canal This is different from an inner ear infection, which is an infection of the inner ear fluid. The most common cause for this condition is swimming, where water from pools sits in the warm ear canal, allowing for a perfect environment for bacterial or even fungal infections to grow. There can sometimes be a thick ear discharge that frequently has a bad odor. The immune system will fight back against the bacteria, creating painful inflammation causing ear pain that worsens when the ear lobe is touched, pulled, or moved. Chewing can often cause pain in the ear canal as well.

Trying to keep the ears dry after swimming is important. External ear pain that persists for more than a couple days should be evaluated by a doctor as antibiotic or antifungal ear drops may be indicated. Ear discharge should also always be evaluated by a doctor.

Pain from an inner ear infection will possibly improve with different head or body positions, whereas pain from swimmers ear will not change. Burping or sneezing can make the pain of an inner ear infection much worse but will not affect the pain of an outer ear canal infection. Outer ear infection pain will get much worse when the ear lobe is pulled or moved, or if the child sticks their finger into the ear canal.

Since the ear drum completely seals off the inner ear from the outer ear canal, swimming cannot cause an inner ear infection. If your child has ear tubes, however, there is a connection through the ear canal, so it’s important to check with your child’s ENT physician about swimming recommendations and use of ear plugs.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.