otitis media otherwise known as an ear infection of the middle ear, occurs when a virus or
bacteria causes the area behind the eardrum to become inflamed or infected.
The condition is most common in children, In fact 80 percent of children by the time
they reach 3 years old will have had one, and if youre a parent, it might be scary and
even confusing to decide whether or not to go to the ER and wonder if you really even
need your or your child to be seen.
In this video, ill be breaking down middle ear infections and when you should seek help,
so stay tuned till the end.
Ear infections occur as a result of a cold, sore throat, or respiratory infection.
Other factors that put you at risk for developing them are: being around someone who smokes,
if you have a family history of ear infections, a weak immune system, if your child spends
time at a daycare, and even as subtle as having your child being bottle fed whilst lying on
their back.
But how do they all happen?
It all goes back inside the eustachian tube.
You might be thinking, What on earth is that?
lets take a quick look: Here is the eustachian tube, and we all have one because it helps
to equalize the pressure between the outer ear and the middle ear, it also helps to drain
excess fluid from our ears into our throat to prevent buildup.
When the tube is not working properly, lets say because you have a cold, and you have
all this congestion swelling up the nose, throat, and the eustachian tube, normal drainage
of fluid cant cross over, causing a fluid buildup behind the eardrum.
And when the fluid cant drain, bacteria and viruses start to grow in the ear which lead
to what is known as acute otitis media.
Here are the culprits____So why does this happen to kids more often than adults you
might ask.
Kids, especially 2 to 4 year olds have tubes that are shorter and more horizontal, which
let bacteria and viruses find their way into the middle ear more easily.
The tubes are also narrower, so they are more likely to get blocked.
See how that can be a problem now?
It can be very apparent when you or your child may have this because their will be ear pain,
possible hearing difficulty, fluid draining from the ears, your child becoming very irritable
often with a fever, especially in infants, and a loss of balance, but always consult
with your child's health care provider for a diagnosis as these symptoms could resemble
others as well.
And speaking of your or your childs doctor.
Here are all the signs and symptoms you should be aware of for when to get help: If the Symptoms
last for more than a day, if the Symptoms are present in a child less than 6 months
old, if the Ear pain is severe with a fever, if Your infant or toddler cant get to bed
or is too irritable after a cold or other upper respiratory infection and if You observe
a discharge of fluid, pus or even a bloody fluid from the ear.
If you see any of these signs.
It's important to get an accurate diagnosis and Call your child's doctor.
Most ear infections can clear on their own within a week or two without treatment, and
symptoms get better within a couple of days.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians, both
recommend a wait-and-see approach..
As far as pain management, Kids will get medicine for pain relief, either tylenol,advil, or
pain-relieving ear drops as long as the eardrum isn't ruptured.
Antibiotics are usually held off for a few days to see if the infection gets better because
they: won't help an infection if its caused by a virus, they won't get rid of middle ear
fluid, they have side effects and they usually don't relieve pain in the first 24 hours.
Also, overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are much harder to treat.
But for the meantime, its important to ensure you take some right steps to prevent them
occurring again for you or your child in the future.
Here are some things you can do to prevent middle ear infections.
Also, if you have any tips: leave them down below in the comments as well.
You want to Prevent common colds and other illnesses, avoid second hand smoke and smoky
environments in general, breast feed your baby if possible for at least 6 months, but
if you do bottle feed, hold your baby in an upright position, and lastly: ensure all vaccinations
for you and your child are up to date.
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