If your young child has an ear infection, don't be surprised. In fact, if your child doesn't end up with an ear infection, be surprised!
Ear infections are so common that up to 80 percent of infants have at least one episode by their first birthday.
Ear infections come in two types:
- Outer ear infections usually occur when children get water in the ear from activities like swimming. This type of infection (often called swimmer's ear) can lead to infection and earache.
- Inner or middle ear infections tend to occur when children gather in large numbers, such as day-care centers. The impact of having many children together in one place at one time is very real: Children in daycare are more likely than children in home care to have ear infections with a frequency that suggests treatment with ear tubes.
There are several things you can do to minimize your child's risk:
- Breastfeeding for at least three months diminishes the risk of bacterial infection in the ear, although the exact reason is unknown.
- Tobacco smoke and air pollution affect the ear infection rate.
- Children who use pacifiers have slightly higher rates of ear infections than those who don't.
How serious can ear infections be?
According to research, most children with middle ear infections experience some degree of hearing loss during the time of infection. This hearing loss persists as long as fluid fills the middle ear. The average hearing loss is like putting plugs in the ears.
Some studies have noted that children with prolonged middle ear infections have lower scores on tests of speech, language, and cognitive abilities.
The symptoms of ear infection may include:
- ear pain
- hearing loss
- ear discharge
- swelling about the ear
- vertigo
Nonspecific symptoms, which are more common among younger children, include:
- fever
- irritability
- headache
- apathy
- anorexia
- vomiting
- diarrhea
Older children should be evaluated if they have:
- a persistent fever
- drainage from their ear
- severe pain
- change in hearing
- swelling about the ear
|
