{"id":1079,"date":"2019-12-03T10:44:02","date_gmt":"2019-12-03T15:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entofga.fm1.dev\/pediatric-ear-infection\/"},"modified":"2020-11-04T18:26:46","modified_gmt":"2020-11-04T23:26:46","slug":"pediatric-ear-infection","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.entofga.com\/kids-ent-health\/pediatric-ear-infection\/","title":{"rendered":"Pediatric Ear Infection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [{\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"What Is Otitis Media?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Otitis media refers to inflammation of the middle ear. Acute otitis media occurs when a cold, allergy, and the presence of bacteria or viruses lead to the accumulation of pus and mucus behind the eardrum, blocking the Eustachian tube. This can cause earache and fever.\"\n    }\n  }, {\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"Why Do Children Have More Ear Infections Than Adults?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"To understand earaches, and ear infections, you must first know about the Eustachian tube, a narrow channel connecting the inside of the ear to the back of the throat, just above the soft palate and uvula. The tube allows drainage of fluid from the middle ear, which prevents it from building up and bursting the thin ear drum. In a healthy ear, the fluid drains down the tube, assisted by tiny hair cells, and is swallowed. Children have Eustachian tubes that are shorter, more horizontal, and straighter than those of adults. These factors make the journey for the bacteria quick and relatively easy. It also makes it harder for the ears to clear the fluid, since it cannot drain with the help of gravity. A child's tube is also floppier, with a smaller opening that easily clogs.\"\n    }\n  }, {\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"How Does Otitis Media Affect Hearing?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Most people with middle ear infection or fluid have some degree of hearing loss. The average hearing loss in ears with fluid is 24 decibels...equivalent to wearing ear plugs. (Twenty-four decibels is about the level of the very softest of whispers.) Thicker fluid can cause much more loss, up to 45 decibels (the range of conversational speech).\"\n    }\n }, {\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"What types of hearing loss are typical in children?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Conductive hearing loss is a form of hearing impairment where the transmission of sound from the environment to the inner ear is impaired, usually from an abnormality of the external auditory canal or middle ear. This form of hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. Untreated chronic ear infections can lead to conductive hearing loss. If fluid is filling the middle ear, hearing loss can be treated by draining the middle ear and inserting a tympanostomy tube. The other form of hearing loss is sensorineural hearing loss, hearing loss due to abnormalities of the inner ear or the auditory division of the 8th cranial nerve. Historically, this condition can occur at all ages, and is usually permanent.\"\n }\n  }, {\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"When should a child have a hearing test?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"A hearing test should be performed for children who have frequent ear infections, hearing loss that lasts more than six weeks, or fluid in the middle ear for more than three months. There are a wide range of medical devices now available to test a child's hearing, Eustachian tube function, and flexibility of the ear drum. They include the otoscopy, tympanometer, and audiometer.\"\n    }\n }, {\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"Why do children lose their hearing?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Children and adults can incur temporary hearing loss for other reasons than chronic middle ear infection and Eustachian tube dysfunction. They include: Cerumen impaction (compressed earwax)\nOtitis externa: Inflammation of the external auditory canal, also called swimmer's ear. Cholesteatoma: A mass of horn shaped squamous cell epithelium and cholesterol in the middle ear, usually resulting from chronic otitis media. Otosclerosis: This is a disease of the otic capsule (bony labyrinth) in the ear, which is more prevalent in adults and characterized by formation of soft, vascular bone leading to progressive conductive hearing loss. It occurs due to fixation of the stapes (bones in the ear). Sensorineural hearing loss may result because of involvement of the cochlear duct.\"\n  }\n }\n ]\n  }\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Causes Ear Infections? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/www.entofga.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/iStock-176570493-2-1280x853.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.entofga.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/iStock-176570493-2-1280x853.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.entofga.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/iStock-176570493-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.entofga.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/iStock-176570493-2.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.entofga.com\/ear\/ear-infection\/\">Ear infections<\/a> occur when fluid fills the space between the eardrum and the inner ear. This happens when the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/human-body-maps\/eustachian-tube#1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eustachian tube<\/a> becomes blocked thanks to a virus or bacterium, preventing mucus and pus from draining out of the middle ear. These fluids put pressure on the eardrum, causing pain and discomfort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Children are especially susceptible to ear infections thanks in large part to anatomy. The structure of their Eustachian tubes, which are still developing until about the age of two, makes them prone to swelling and blockages. Children who attend daycare or school and those who are exposed to tobacco smoke are most at risk.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are the Symptoms of an Ear Infection? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The first sign of an ear infection may be an increase in irritability. Some children cry inconsolably. You may notice your child pulling or tugging on the ear. In addition to a painful earache that is worse when lying down, symptoms of ear infection include fluid discharge from the affected ear, a feeling of fullness in the ear, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.entofga.com\/ear\/hearing-loss\/\">difficulty hearing<\/a>, trouble sleeping, headache, fever, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, and a lack of appetite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An ear infection is easily diagnosed through an examination of your child\u2019s ears with an otoscope. If the ears appear dull or red, contain fluid behind the eardrum or pus inside the middle ear, then an ear infection is likely to blame. A hearing test may be recommended, especially if your child has had ear infections in the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Are Ear Infections Treated? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many doctors prefer to take a wait-and-see approach when it comes to treating ear infections, especially with younger children. They often clear up on their own without the need for antibiotics or other aggressive forms of medical treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pain can be managed with medications like Tylenol or Motrin (be sure to avoid giving your child aspirin, which has been linked to a dangerous condition known as Reye\u2019s syndrome) or eardrops. Use a warm washcloth pressed to the ear for comforting relief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the ear infection doesn\u2019t go away on its own and is the result of a bacterial infection, antibiotics will be prescribed.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"\/contact\">Contact<\/a> ENT of Georgia North for more information or to <a href=\"\/request-appointment\">schedule an appointment<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Causes Ear Infections? Ear infections occur when fluid fills the space between the eardrum and the inner ear. This happens when the Eustachian tube becomes blocked thanks to a virus or bacterium, preventing mucus and pus from draining out of the middle ear. These fluids put pressure on the eardrum, causing pain and discomfort&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1048,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"ENT of Georgia North | Children are especially susceptible to ear infections thanks in large part to anatomy. 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