Cells in the middle ear make a fluid that help keep out invading organisms. In normal cases, the fluid drains out through the Eustachian tube and down into the throat. But if the Eustachian tube becomes swollen or blocked, the fluid becomes trapped in the middle ear, which forms the perfect place for bacteria and viruses which causes the area to become inflamed and/or infected. The tube is shorter in children, which could put them at a greater risk for ear infections. When the doctor looks at an infected ear, the eardrum looks red and is bulging.
Ear infections are most commonly caused by an upper respiratory viral infection, which is usually a cold or the flu. Common colds and the flu make the Eustachian tube so swollen that middle ear fluid cannot drain.
Ear infections not only cause severe pain, but may result in serious complications if not treated. An untreated ear infection can travel from the middle ear to parts of the head, including the brain. Although the hearing loss caused by ear infections in usually temporary, untreated ear infections can lead to permanent hearing impairment. Persistent fluid in the middle ear can reduce a child’s hearing at a time critical for speech and language development. Children who have early hearing impairment from frequent ear infections are most likely to have speech and language disabilities.
Ear infections are hard to detect because most children who are affected by them do not have the language skills to tell someone what is bothering them. Common signs to look for are: unusual irritability, difficulty sleeping, tugging or pulling at one or both ears, fever, fluid draining from the ear, loss of balance, unresponsiveness to quiet sounds or other signs of hearing difficulty.
The most simple way to diagnose an active infection in the middle ear is to look in the child’s ear with an otoscope, which allows the doctor to examine the outer ear and the eardrum. Inflammation of the ear drum indicates an infection. Many physicians recommend the use of antibiotics to treat ear infections. However, there are many bacteria that can cause otitis media, and some have become resistant to antibiotics. This happens when antibiotics are given to children for things they will not help, such as a cold or the flu. In these cases, several antibiotics are sometimes needed to figure out which one will fight off the infection.
Research is being explored to further improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of middle ear infections. The effects of ear infections on children’s speech and language development are important areas of study, so is research to develop more accurate methods to help physicians detect middle ear infections. Research is also leading to the availability of vaccines that will prevent otitis media.
