Because most ear infections improve within 24 hours of receiving medical care, health care providers are less likely to prescribe antibiotics immediately.

So it may often be the case that your doctor will wait to see if symptoms continue or start to get worse.

If antibiotics are prescribed, it is important to take all of the prescribed antibiotics on schedule and to complete the course, always.

Children with persistent or recurring ear infections may need ear tubes inserted to help the middle ear begin working properly again. These tubes are called grommets and Inserting ear tubes is a simple and effective surgical procedure that is almost always successful at relieving the problem.

Most ear ache will pass but it is important to know when to Contact a Medical Professional and you should always see your doctor if
your child has a high fever or severe pain or seems sicker than is usual for an ear infection, new symptoms appear, especially: Dizziness; Severe headache; Swelling around the ear; Weakness of the face muscles; Severe pain suddenly stops; (this may be a sign of a ruptured eardrum)
You should also contact the doctor is the symptoms (pain, fever, or irritability) get worse or do not improve within 24 - 48 hours

Yes it is very important that we are ready to realise when an earache may indicate something more serious. Pain, tenderness, or redness of the mastoid often indicates a serious infection. During any examination, the doctor will ask questions about the ear pain, such as:
When did it begin?
Is it getting better, worse, or staying the same?
Is the pain constant?
What other symptoms are present?
Is there ear pressure?
Is there drainage from the ear?
Are there unusual ear noises?
Is there a fever?
Is there pain in the bone behind the ear?
Is there hearing loss?

In general the following steps can help prevent earaches:
Avoid smoking near children. Smoking has been shown to cause millions of ear infections each year in children.
Prevent outer ear infections by not putting objects in the ear, and drying the ear after bathing or swimming.
Take steps to control allergies. In particular, avoid allergy triggers. Steroid nasal spray may help reduce ear infections.

However please make sure that you know that over-the-counter sedating antihistamines and decongestants do NOT prevent ear infections.