![]() As fluid collects behind the eardrum, it causes the drum to bulge, resulting in intense pain.Your child may also have symptoms of a cold (e.g. Signs and symptoms of ear infectionsīabies and children may have ear pain with both middle and outer ear infections. from scratching or cleaning with earbuds). They can also be caused by damage to the canal (e.g. Outer ear infections are usually due to excess moisture in the canal, for example after swimming. Infections develop more easily in smaller tubes and it's not uncommon for small children to have lots of ear infections in one year, sometimes as often as once every month. When your child has a cold, germs from the throat can travel up to the middle ear and cause an What causes ear infections?īabies and young children get more middle ear infections than older children because they have smaller tubes (called the Eustachian tubes) that connect the middle ear to the throat. Occasionally, glue ear can temporarily affect language development. ![]() Glue ear may last for many weeks or months, making it This fluid usually slowly clears by itself, but children who get frequent infections may have fluid stay behind the eardrum for longer. ![]() Most ear infections involve the middle ear.Įvery time a middle ear infection happens, fluid collects behind the ear drum. The two types of ear infections often seen in children are middle ear infections (otitis media) and outer ear infections (otitis externa). Most infections get better quickly and are not usually serious. Your doctor also may recommend this surgery if your child has frequent ear infections, or if your child has Down syndrome, a cleft palate or a weakened immune system.Ear infections are very common in small children. The surgery is quick and does not require overnight hospitalization. For some children, they never fall out and eventually have to be surgically removed. Sometimes, the tubes fall out too soon and have to be replaced. As your child’s ears grow and develop, the tubes fall out and the ear infections are no longer a problem. Some children naturally have small Eustachian tubes, so this helps correct that problem. The tubes relieve the pressure and allow the fluid to drain. During this surgery, the ENT inserts tubes inside your child’s middle ear. The ENT may suggest your child have surgery. If your child has chronic ear infections, signs of hearing loss, or speech delays because of hearing loss, your doctor may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor. This allows time to see if the OTC medicines will work. ![]() The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends doctors wait 2 to 3 days before prescribing antibiotics for an ear infection in children 2 to 12 years of age who have non-severe symptoms. At that point, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic if the infection is caused by bacteria.ĭoctors are cautious about prescribing antibiotics for ear infections unless they are chronic and frequent. Research shows that over prescribing antibiotics for ear infections is not effective. If your child isn’t better in a few days after treatment starts, you may need to take them back to the doctor. Your doctor will likely treat your child’s pain and fever with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers or eardrops. If left untreated, they can lead to unnecessary pain and permanent hearing loss for your child.Įar infections usually go away in a few days.
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