You’re probably reading this after spending a sleepless night helping your child weather yet another ear infection. You’re most certainly not alone — half of children have an ear infection by the age of two. And millions of infants go on to have more infections during their childhoods.
If you’re wondering why kids are so susceptible to ear infections, we have you covered. Our highly experienced pediatric team here at LaSante Health Center has no small amount of experience helping parents and kids get through these infections, which are almost a rite of passage they’re so common.
Let’s get straight to the primary reason why kids are so prone to ear infections — anatomy.
Most ear infections, which are medically known as otitis media, occur when bacteria or a virus create an infection in the middle ear, which is the space just behind the eardrum.
The middle ear is connected to an eustachian tube that connects to the back of the throat. These tubes regulate the pressure inside the ear and prevent fluid from building up inside.
In kids, the eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal, which makes them more vulnerable to infection and fluid buildup.
Another reason kids are more prone to ear infections is that they’re more vulnerable to infections in general. In case you haven't noticed, kids get an awful lot of colds — about eight per year on average.
The reasons behind this rate of infection in kids include:
The good news in all of this is that with each infection, your child is able to build their immunity, which will serve them well as they get older.
If your child has one or two ear infections, it may be a good idea to let the issue run its course and avoid using antibiotics, as we don’t want your child to build a resistance to these important medications.
That said, if it's a bad infection and there’s fever, too, we might suggest turning to antibiotics.
We can also guide you on managing the symptoms of an ear infection, from over-the-counter medications to warm compresses that can help soothe your child’s discomfort.
If your child goes on to have repeated ear infections, we might recommend ear tubes to drain the fluids from their middle ear and eustachian tube. This technique is very successful in helping rectify chronic ear infections.
The best way to figure out how to manage your child’s ear infections is to sit down with one of our pediatric specialists. To get started, you can book an appointment online or call us at our Brooklyn, New York, office at 718-246-5700 to schedule a visit.
We serve the Flatbush and East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Park Slope, Little Haiti, Little Caribbean, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens communities.
