A middle ear infection, or acute otitis media, is a very common ailment among children. Since ear infections are so common, it is often difficult to know how to manage them, and when you need to take your child to the doctor. Below are some guidelines to help you better understand your child’s ear infections.
HOW DO I KNOW MY CHILD HAS AN EAR INFECTION?
While a doctor must make a definitive diagnosis of an ear infection after an ear exam, there are some common symptoms that you can be on the lookout for. This includes ear pain, tugging at the ears, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, irritability and fever. Drainage from the ear and trouble hearing may also be signs that your child has an ear infection.
WHAT CAUSES EAR INFECTIONS?
Like other infections, an ear infection is caused by a bacteria or virus in the middle ear that causes the body to produce inflammation and mucus. Normally, the tubes that run from the middle ear to the back of the throat, called the Eustachian tubes, help to drain the fluid into the throat and to equalize the pressure between the middle ear and the outside environment. However, often times, in children, these Eustachian tubes are more narrow and horizontal than in an adult. This prevents the fluid from draining properly, and is one of the main reasons that ear infections are more common in children.
HOW CAN I PREVENT MY CHILD FROM GETTING EAR INFECTIONS?
Unfortunately, like the common cold, there isn’t anything to completely prevent ear infections, but there are some risk factors that you can try to avoid. For example, children who spend lots of time with large groups of kids, such as at school or daycare, are more likely to get ear infections. In addition, exposure to tobacco smoke can increase the risk of getting an ear infection.
WILL THE INFECTION PASS, OR SHOULD I TAKE MY CHILD TO THE DOCTOR?
While some ear infections do resolve without medication, an antibiotic may be needed. If you suspect that your child has an ear infection based on the symptoms described above, it is important that you take them to your pediatrician or family doctor. Your child’s doctor may prescribe antibiotics or advise pain management strategies based on the ear exam. They may also refer you to an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose and throat specialist or ENT), if the infections are frequent or if the symptoms are severe or persistent.
I HAVE HEARD THAT OTHER CHILDREN HAVE HAD EAR TUBES PLACED TO TREAT EAR INFECTIONS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT PROCESS?
Ear tubes are often placed in children that have recurrent ear infections or hearing loss due to persistent middle ear fluid. The surgery itself is an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia and usually lasts less than 15 minutes. During surgery, the otolaryngologist makes a small incision in the eardrum, suctions the fluid out from behind the eardrum, and places a small cylindrical tube in the incised hole. These tubes are meant to stay in place for six months to a year and usually fall out on their own. Their purpose is to help drain fluid from the middle ear, and keep pressure equalized between the middle ear and the outside. By preventing the buildup of pressure, ear tubes alleviate the pain usually associated with ear infections. With the ear tube, subsequent ear infections can also usually be treated with eardrops as opposed to oral antibiotics.
Ear infections are one of the most common childhood health problems, and ear tube surgery is the most common general anesthesia surgery performed on children, with over half a million performed every year. While ear infection occurrences are very common, it’s never a good experience to see your child in discomfort, so be sure to talk to your doctor about any concerns.
Justin Siegel is from the New York Medical College ENT Interest Group and Christopher Linstrom, M.D., is associated with the New York Ear and Eye Infirmary of Mount Sinai.
