What Is a Middle Ear Infection?
When your child has an ear infection, the part behind their eardrum gets sore. It’s full of fluid that can’t drain out. Most kids get these. In fact, 8 in 10 babies will have one before age two.
Why Do Children Get Ear Infections?
Colds often lead to ear infections. Inside your child’s ear is a small tube. It lets fluid drain from the ear to the throat. But when your child has a cold, this tube gets blocked. Fluid builds up. Then germs grow in it.
Kids get more ear infections than grown-ups. Their ear tubes are shorter and flatter. This makes it hard for fluid to drain. Boys get them more than girls do. Winter is the worst time for ear infections.
These things can lead to more ear infections:
- Using a dummy
- Drinking from a bottle while lying flat
- Being near smoke
- Playing with lots of other kids
- Having a split in the roof of the mouth
How Can I Tell if My Child Has an Ear Infection?
Look for these signs:
- Your child pulls at their ear
- They feel hot
- They cry more than usual
- They can’t sleep well
- They won’t eat much
- They feel sick
- They can’t hear well
- Their ear feels blocked
Sometimes, the eardrum pops from too much fluid. You might see fluid leak from their ear. This might worry you, but it often helps the pain go away.
What Should I Do to Help?
Most ear infections get better in three days without medicine. Here’s what helps:
- Give them pain medicine made for kids (not aspirin)
- Put a warm, wet cloth on their ear
- Keep their head up at feeding time
- Ask a chemist about ear drops for pain
Your doctor might give your child medicine if:
- They are very ill
- They’re still sick after three days
- They’re under two with both ears infected
- Their eardrum has popped
When Should I Call the Doctor?
Get help if:
- Your child isn’t better in three days
- They seem to be getting worse
- They’re under three months and feel hot
- You see fluid coming from their ear
- The infections keep coming back
How Can I Stop Ear Infections?
Try these tips:
- Feed your baby breast milk if you can
- Hold your baby up to feed
- Get all their jabs
- Keep them away from smoke
- Try not to use dummies
- Teach them to wash their hands
As kids grow up, they get fewer ear infections. If you worry about your child’s ears, talk to your doctor or chemist.
Photo by Anthony Cunningham for Zoom Health UK
Zoom Health is a leading UK supplier of Home Health Tests and Earplugs
