![]() The first thing a doctor will do is ask you about your child’s health. How does a doctor diagnose a middle ear infection? Sometimes bacteria get trapped in the adenoids, causing a chronic infection that can then pass on to the eustachian tubes and the middle ear. This makes it harder for children to fight infections.Īs part of the immune system, the adenoids respond to bacteria passing through the nose and mouth. If the eustachian tubes are swollen or blocked with mucus due to a cold or other respiratory illness, fluid may not be able to drain.Ī child’s immune system isn’t as effective as an adult’s because it’s still developing. This makes it difficult for fluid to drain out of the ear, even under normal conditions. There are several reasons why children are more likely than adults to get ear infections.Įustachian tubes are smaller and more level in children than they are in adults. Why are children more likely than adults to get ear infections? They fight off infection by trapping bacteria that enter through the mouth. Adenoids are mostly made up of immune system cells. Its job is to supply fresh air to the middle ear, drain fluid, and keep air pressure at a steady level between the nose and the ear.Īdenoids are small pads of tissue located behind the back of the nose, above the throat, and near the eustachian tubes. The eustachian tube is a small passageway that connects the upper part of the throat to the middle ear. Other nearby parts of the ear also can be involved in ear infections. The auditory nerve carries these signals from the cochlea to the brain. The cochlea, a part of the labyrinth, is a snail-shaped organ that converts sound vibrations from the middle ear into electrical signals. The inner ear contains the labyrinth, which help us keep our balance. The bones of the middle ear are surrounded by air. Within the middle ear are three tiny bones called the malleus, incus, and stapes that transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The middle ear-which is where ear infections occur-is located between the eardrum and the inner ear. The eardrum is a membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. The outer ear, also called the pinna, includes everything we see on the outside-the curved flap of the ear leading down to the earlobe-but it also includes the ear canal, which begins at the opening to the ear and extends to the eardrum. The ear has three major parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. ![]() Because of the infection, fluid builds up behind the eardrum. If the upper respiratory infection is bacterial, these same bacteria may spread to the middle ear if the upper respiratory infection is caused by a virus, such as a cold, bacteria may be drawn to the microbe-friendly environment and move into the middle ear as a secondary infection. Trouble hearing or responding to quiet soundsĪn ear infection usually is caused by bacteria and often begins after a child has a sore throat, cold, or other upper respiratory infection.Fever (especially in infants and younger children).If your child isn’t old enough to say “My ear hurts,” here are a few things to look for: Most ear infections happen to children before they’ve learned how to talk. How can I tell if my child has an ear infection? COME makes it harder for children to fight new infections and also can affect their hearing. Chronic otitis media with effusion (COME) happens when fluid remains in the middle ear for a long time or returns over and over again, even though there is no infection.A child with OME may have no symptoms, but a doctor will be able to see the fluid behind the eardrum with a special instrument. Otitis media with effusion (OME) sometimes happens after an ear infection has run its course and fluid stays trapped behind the eardrum.This causes pain in the ear-commonly called an earache. Parts of the middle ear are infected and swollen and fluid is trapped behind the eardrum. Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common ear infection.Each has a different combination of symptoms. There are three main types of ear infections. What are the symptoms of an ear infection? The scientific name for an ear infection is otitis media (OM). In fact, ear infections are the most common reason parents bring their child to a doctor. Five out of six children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday. Anyone can get an ear infection, but children get them more often than adults. Congressional Testimony and the NIDCD BudgetĪn ear infection is an inflammation of the middle ear, usually caused by bacteria, that occurs when fluid builds up behind the eardrum.Research Training in NIDCD Laboratories (Intramural). ![]()
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