Middle ear infections in children: What you need to know

Posted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Nam Phong - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital

Otitis media is one of the diseases that occur in the middle ear. Children with otitis media will have damage and inflammation in the middle ear due to bacteria multiplying and growing inside. In addition, otitis media in children can also occur due to external influences. Otitis media is a disease that can occur at any age, especially in young children. This is a disease that cannot be subjective because if not detected and treated in time, it will cause dangerous complications.

Although otitis media is a fairly common disease, it is difficult to detect. In the early stages, the manifestation of otitis media is not obvious, the child has no fever, no ear pain, very rarely tinnitus and no discharge from the ear. The only symptom is that the child is distracted, so parents often ignore it and think that the child lacks concentration. When moving to the chronic stage, there is a phenomenon of purulent ear discharge. Symptoms of otitis media in children may appear as follows:
The child has a high fever up to 39 - 40 degrees Celsius, is fussy and eats poorly, refuses to eat, spits up and worse, convulses. For young children, they will shake their heads and constantly put their hands in their ears. Older children who can talk will complain of ear pain. Children will have signs of digestive disorders such as frequent loose stools. This symptom occurs almost simultaneously with fever. Children toss and turn have difficulty sleeping and appear restless when laid down. The child does not balance and often tilts the head to the side.

Due to the structure of the ear in infants and young children, the tube is shorter, wider, and more horizontal than in adults. Therefore, liquid from the throat, nose containing bacteria easily passes through the tube into the middle ear.
Children with upper respiratory tract infection easily cause the eustachian tube to become blocked, swollen and inflamed, leading to secretions being trapped in it. This creates a humid environment for bacteria and viruses to thrive. When an infection occurs, the eustachian tube becomes swollen with pus and puts pressure on the eardrum causing the eardrum to bulge or even tear due to the increased pressure. Inflammation of the middle ear can cause a baby to have a fever as the body tries to fight off the bacteria or virus that causes the disease.

Most cases of otitis media in children go away on their own in three or four days even with or without antibiotics. If your child is unwell and the infection is not caused by a virus, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. However, you should give antibiotics to your child if:
The child is in great pain The child is younger than 3 months There is discharge from the baby's ears Both of the children's ears are infected Symptoms of infection get heavier after 24 hours

Is otitis media in young children dangerous? In fact, this is a common disease in children and can be dangerous if not examined and treated promptly. To prevent otitis media in children, parents need to:
Keep children warm in the cold season. Limit children's contact with other children with upper respiratory diseases. Breastfeed your baby because breast milk helps strengthen the baby's natural immunity. If your baby is formula-fed, let your baby nurse in a sitting position and help him burp after feeding. If your baby is at the age of weaning, you should let him sit to eat instead of letting him lie down or hold him in your lap. Do not give your baby a pacifier. If you really need to use it, pay attention to the time not to let the baby suck it for too long. Do not expose children to secondhand smoke. Vaccinate children with pneumococcal and flu vaccines. The pediatric department at Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for receiving and examining diseases that infants and young children are susceptible to: viral fever, bacterial fever, otitis media, pneumonia in children ,....With modern equipment, sterile space, minimizing the impact as well as the risk of disease spread. Along with that is the dedication from the doctors with professional experience with pediatric patients, making the examination no longer a concern of the parents.