Why Do Children Get So Many Ear Infections?

About 5 in 6 children suffer at least one ear infection by the time they’re 3 years old, so if it seems that ear drops are a regular item on your shopping list, you’re not alone. 

Childhood earaches are common and may clear up on their own. Still, it’s important to know the cycle that ear infections usually follow so you can respond appropriately. In this blog, the pediatric medical team at Irving Coppell Primary Care and Pediatrics in Irving, Texas, breaks down what every parent needs to know about ear infections.

Recognizing the symptoms

Ear infections occur before many children have the vocabulary to accurately communicate what they feel, so your observations may serve as the best guide. When a child tells you their ear hurts, it’s simple enough to suspect an infection, but be aware of these nonverbal clues:

• Hands near or on their ears, including pulling, tugging, or cupping
• Disruptions in their typical sleep patterns
• Mood changes, such as more frequent crying or fussiness
• Balance issues, or stumbling or falling more than usual
• Changes to hearing, such as being unresponsive to normal voice levels or quiet sounds
• Fever accompanying other symptoms
• Fluid drainage from the ear

A pressure situation

The most common type of ear infection traps accumulated fluid behind the eardrum. Typically, excess fluid in the middle ear drains through the eustachian tubes, passageways between the ear and the back of the throat that allow stable air pressure inside the ear.

When the eustachian tubes are blocked, pressure can’t equalize between the middle ear and the outside environment. This pressure difference, along with the pressure of accumulated fluid, causes your child to feel aching and pain.

Your child’s ears

One reason children have frequent ear infections is their changing anatomy. Eustachian tubes are smaller in young children, yet they may be subject to the same fluid drainage as adults. Their growing bodies naturally resolve this issue in time.

The eustachian tubes are also closer to level in children, meaning that gravity helps less to drain their ears. That, too, changes as their bodies mature. Some children may have genetic variations that aggravate one or both conditions, leading to more infections.

A perfect environment

Inefficient ear drainage creates ideal conditions for bacterial growth, something your child’s developing immune system may have trouble suppressing. 

A simple cold can create mucus blockages, allowing bacterial growth by blocking the ears. An earache that accompanies a cold may, in fact, be two illnesses.

When to visit the doctor

It’s time to visit the pediatric experts at Irving Coppell Primary Care and Pediatrics when:

• Earache symptoms last more than a day
• Your child is in distress from the pain
• Your child is less than 6 months old
• Ear symptoms persist after a cold or other upper respiratory problem
• Fluid, pus, or blood drains from your child’s ear

Though childhood ear infections are common and typically harmless, complications can arise, leading to hearing loss or other issues. Don’t wait. Contact Irving Coppell Primary Care and Pediatrics today by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.