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Taking a Close Look at Ear Infections Most parents are familiar with the symptoms of an ear infection: tugging at the ears, crying more than usual, fever, fluid draining from the ears, difficulty sleeping or keeping balance and hearing problems. That is because ear infections are the most common illnesses in babies and young children. In fact, three out of four children experience an ear infection by the time they reach their third birthday. Ear infections, also called otitis media, happen when bacteria enter the ear and cause an infection. Ear infections are not contagious, but they may be the result of another illness, such as a cold. Ear infections occur more often in boys than girls, and in children who have a family history of the condition. Ear infections tend to increase in frequency during the winter months when upper respiratory tract infections or colds are more frequent. The risk of developing ear infections can be minimized by making certain lifestyle choices: • Breastfeeding the infant for at least six months • Avoiding exposure to second-hand smoke • Reducing exposure to a large number of children • Washing hands to decrease the transmission of germs • Keeping immunizations up to date If symptoms of an ear infection appear, call a doctor immediately. Antibiotics may be prescribed for an infection caused by bacteria. The medication must be finished to ensure successful treatment or else the infection can come back. Other times, fluid can stay in the ears without becoming infected. Children who keep this chronic fluid, or who experience frequent infections, may need surgery to relieve pressure in their ears. More than 500,000 ear tube surgeries are performed on children each year. The procedure, called a myringotomy, is the most common childhood surgery performed with anesthesia. It takes only about 10 minutes to make a tiny opening in the ear drum with a microscope, suction out fluid behind the ear drum and then insert a small tube. After surgery, the child often can hear better because fluid is less likely to build up in the ear when it is vented with fresh air. Removal of the adenoids, which can block the openings of the Eustachian tubes, also may be recommended to reduce the risk of chronic ear infection and the need for repeat surgery.

Children usually go home after surgery within an hour. Eardrops may be necessary for a few days following surgery. To prevent water and bacteria from entering the ear through the tubes, doctors may recommend using earplugs during bathing or swimming. The tubes will generally fall out on their own in one to two years. In certain cases, the surgery may need to be repeated. While the tubes are in place, any further ear infections are generally less frequent, less severe, and easier to treat. Most infections can be treated with eardrops rather than needing more systemic antibiotics by mouth.

There is no single best way to treat ear infections. Doctors will take into account the child’s age, frequency and length of infection, risk factors, and effect on hearing and behavior when making their diagnosis and prescribing a course of action. It is important to seek treatment, because if left untreated, ear infections can lead to permanent hearing loss or impaired speech development. Resources: NIH - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/ hearing-ear-infections-deafness KidsHealth.org https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/otitis-media. html?view=ptr American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/ears/ Ear-Tubes.cfm Ear infections, also called otitis media, happen when bacteria enter the ear and cause an infection. By Dr. Jack Livingston

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