The Ear and Ear Infections

Young children are more likely to have middle ear fluid and develop ear infections because the Eustachian tube (the tube that connects the ear to the back of the nose and helps drain and control fluids in the middle ear) is shorter, wider and more horizontal than in adults. As a result, infected fluids from the back of the nose may reach the middle ear more easily.

When a middle ear becomes inflamed, the condition is called Otitis Media; when a middle ear is infected it’s called Acute Otitis Media. Acute Otitis Media is what we normally think of as an ear infection and is often accompanied by pain, fever and other symptoms.

The signs of a middle ear infection can range from mild to severe, but often include:

• Fluid in the middle ear
• Runny/stuffy nose or cough
• Irritability
• Pulling or rubbing the ear
• Decrease in appetite
• Fever

When fluid is present in the middle ear without active infection, the condition is called Otitis Media with Effusion. Otitis Media with Effusion is often associated with an oncoming ear infection or the result of a child recovering from an ear infection.