Recurrent Ear Infections
Many children suffer recurrent infections of the middle ear, a condition also known as otitis media (OM).
What are the symptoms of recurrent ear infections?
Ear infections can cause irritability, difficulty sleeping, runny nose, fever, fluid draining from the ear, loss of balance, mild to severe ear pain, and hearing difficulty. Untreated infections can cause permanent hearing impairment and can also spread to other parts of the head, including the brain. Frequent or persistent ear infections in children can reduce their hearing when normal hearing is critical for speech and language development.
How is it treated?
Conventional treatments for an active infection include prescription antibiotics and pain relievers. For chronic infections or persistent fluid in the ear, many doctors suggest myringotomy, an operation in which small “tympanostomy tubes” are inserted in the affected eardrums to equalize pressure and improve drainage of fluid from the middle ear. Enlarged or infected adenoids may be removed (adenoidectomy) at the same time the ear tubes are inserted.
Lifestyle changes that may be helpful:
When parents smoke, their children are more likely to have recurrent ear infections. It is important that children are not exposed to passive smoke.
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