An
ear infection is exactly what it says it is, it’s an infection of the ear. They
are most often viral or bacterial infections that affect the middle ear. This
part of the ear is air filled and it’s located behind the eardrum, also called the tympanic
membrane. This part of the ear contains the tiny vibrating bones that help produce sound. Just
like any other infection, ear infections hurt. They are painful for anybody who
has one, but they are especially painful for a child. Another term that you
might hear being thrown around for an ear infection is its medical term, which is called otitis
media (OM).
Why are children more at
risk?
Ear
infections can happen to everybody. Unfortunately, children are at the greatest
risk because of their immune system and eustachian tubes. First, the child’s
immune system is not quite fully developed. The immune system plays a nice
role in defending and protecting our body from foreign invaders. Because it
has not fully developed it does not have the exact same effect in children
as it does in adults. Second, the eustachian tubes in children are shorter,
narrower, and more horizontal when compared to adults’ eustachian tubes. The size,
shape and positioning all play a role into the increased risk for ear infections
in children.
The
eustachian tubes connect and present a passageway from the middle ear to the
upper back part of the throat. According to nidcd.nih.gov (2017), the opening and
closing of the eustachian tubes at the upper back part of the throat allows:
·
Adequate air pressure in the middle ear
·
Clean, fresh air up into the middle ear
·
Elimination of any secretions from the
middle ear
If
you’re still trying to figure out how the child is at an increased risk, take a
look at this image presenting all the ways that lead to an increased risk for ear infections in children.
What are signs and
symptoms?
The
child’s behavior is a good indicator for whether they might have an ear
infection. According to mayoclinic.org (n.d.), some signs and symptoms for an ear infection in a child include:
·
Fluid drainage from an ear
·
Fever of or above 100
·
Ear pain while lying down
·
Difficulty with sleeping
·
Tugging or pulling on an ear
·
More frequent crying
·
Headaches
·
Difficulty hearing and listening to others
If
you see these signs and symptoms lasting for a couple of days or if they’re
present in a child younger than six months, I advise you to go see a doctor.
Signs and symptoms lasting this long could potentially be severe and it’s best to go see your child’s doctor as
soon as possible to get them treated for it.
What are ways to help
prevent ear infections from occurring?
Some
of the simplest and easiest tasks can go a long way in helping prevent the
occurrence of ear infections. The mayoclinic.org (n.d.) website provides us with some ways to help reduce the risk of ear infections in children. The first way is for the mother to breast feed their baby. If you decide not to breast feed, hold the baby upright when bottle feeding. Another way to reduce the risk is to not let the child lye down and go to sleep with a bottle. Your child should also perform hand hygiene frequently, this should be done after every trip to the bathroom, before and after eating, and after coming in contact with toys or other objects that may be full of germs. Every year your child should be vaccinated and you should try to stay away from second hand smoke as much as possible.
References
Mayo
Clinic. (n.d.). Ear infection (middle
ear). Retrieved 10/6/2017, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ear-infections/symptoms-causes/syc-20351616
National
Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). (2017). Ear Infections in Children. Retrieved 10/6/2017, from https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/ear-infections-children#4