Dealing with an Ear Infection
What to do when your child gets an infection in the middle ear

Causes of ear infections
Children tend to develop ear infections more frequently in the first few years of life for a few reasons. First of all, their eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal than those of adults. This enables bacteria and viruses to find their way into the middle ear easier. Narrower and stiffer tubes also make them more prone to blockage. Secondly, children have larger adenoids. Adenoids are gland-like structures located in the back of the upper throat near the eustachian tubes. Having larger adenoids can interfere with the opening of the eustachian tubes. And finally, children's immune systems aren't fully developed until about age seven, making it more difficult for little ones to fight off infections.
Other factors that contribute to infants getting ear infections include exposure to cigarette smoke, bottle-feeding, and day-care attendance.
Ear infections are actually the most commonly diagnosed childhood illness in the United States. In fact, three out of four children have had at least one ear infection by the time they reach 3 years of age.
Ear infections tend to occur more commonly in boys than girls. They also tend to occur more commonly in children whose families have a history of ear infections. Generally, they occur often in the winter season when upper respiratory tract infections or colds are most frequent.
Signs and Symptoms
1. Ear pain is a tell-tale sign of an ear infection.
2. Lying down or chewing may cause pain or pressure on the ear, so watch closely to see if the child is eating or sleeping less.
3. High pressure from ear fluid buildup can actually cause the eardrum to rupture, resulting in drainage of fluid from the ear.
4. Another common symptom results from fluid buildup in the middle ear, which blocks sound. This can lead to hearing difficulties and a child with an ear infection may have trouble responding to soft sounds. Ear infections are often accompanied by nausea, dizziness, fever, and vomiting.
Sometimes, ear infections often have no symptoms at all. Although mild temporary hearing loss may occur, this might go unnoticed in some cases. Ear infections are also closely connected to respiratory illnesses and occur alongside symptoms such as a runny nose or a cough.
Although middle ear infections often go away on their own within 2 or 3 days without treatment, you may want to see a doctor if the infection is severe. Your doctor typically prescribes antibiotics over a ten-day-course.

Treatments for Infections
It is important to note that ear infections often clear up on their own, making antibiotics unnecessary. Antibiotics won’t clear up infections caused by a virus, may cause side effects, do not relieve pain immediately, and won’t eliminate middle ear fluid.