Ear Infections in Children

Children are more prone to getting ear infections than adults. Among children infants are more likely to become infected with an ear infection as a result of another illness, such as a cold or the flu. The reason children and infants get ear infections more frequently is because the tubes in their ears are not fully developed.

The tubes that connect the ear with the throat and sinus passages are small. When an infection sets in, it causes these tubes to swell causing them to close and allowing fluid to be blocked. This can cause severe pain for the youngster. The bacteria or virus that causes ear infections is now trapped with this fluid and can cause the infection to become worse.

It is quite common that the ear drum will burst due to the buildup of trapped fluid. A telltale sign that the ear drum has burst is the discharge of a yellowish liquid from the ear. As long as the infection is properly treated, the ear drum will heal over time and should not be a cause of too much concern.

It is possible for infants and children to be infected with ear infections several times a year. As the child grows and matures, eventually they will grow out of having so many ear infections. Once the tubes are fully developed then the risk of repeat infections goes down drastically. They can still get an ear infection but the occurrence will be far less often.

The causes of ear infections can be attributed to another illness but also when water gets trapped in the ears of infants and children. As parents, we need to be careful when bathing our children to make sure that water does not get into the ears as much as possible. Since their ear tubes are so small, it does not take much water to block the tube. When this occurs, then infection can set in and cause an ear infection. Be careful when rinsing shampoo off a child’s head by having the child tilt their head back. Children should wear ear plugs when swimming under water to help prevent water from getting into the ears.