Common Signs of a Childhood Ear Infection

You’re not wrong if you believe childhood ear infections are common. The National Institutes of Health estimates that five of six children experience one before their third birthday. That means you’ll probably need to decide at some point whether your kiddo’s fussiness is due to too little sleep, too much sugar, or a developing infection.

Our team at Sellwood Medical Clinic, with four locations in the metro Portland area, lists the symptoms to watch for and explains why children and ear infections seem to go together.

Understanding childhood ear infections

An ear infection (otitis media) occurs when inflammation, swelling, congestion, and fluid buildup affect the middle ear space just behind the eardrum. Colds, allergies, and other upper respiratory illnesses often trigger the infection.

Children are often more susceptible to viral and bacterial illnesses that may result in ear infections because their immune system isn’t fully mature. Their child-sized ear anatomy also increases the risk of ear infections.

The middle ear space, usually filled with air, contains three tiny bones that vibrate to transmit sound waves to the inner ear. Eustachian tubes, one per ear, are narrow passageways that connect the middle ear to the upper throat behind your nose. The tubes supply fresh air to the middle ear chamber, drain away excess fluid, and keep the air pressure balanced.

Compared to adults, children have narrower and more horizontally positioned eustachian tubes. This difference can restrict drainage from the middle ear space and leads to infection when swelling caused by nasal congestion and other upper respiratory issues inflame airways.

Common signs of a childhood ear infection

Common signs that indicate your child might have an ear infection include:

• Ear pain that usually worsens when lying down
• Tugging or pulling at an ear
• Persistent fussiness and difficulty sleeping
• Frequent crying
• Dizziness and loss of balance
• A temperature of 100 degrees F or higher
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Visible drainage from the infected ear
• Reduced hearing or complaints of muffled hearing

These symptoms can vary significantly from child to child. For instance, a toddler may complain that it feels like water is stuck in their ear but not report ear pain or develop a fever; infants may cry nonstop, run a temperature, and are often inconsolable due to ear pain.

When should I schedule an appointment?

Our Sellwood Medical Clinic  team encourages you to schedule a visit whenever you’re concerned about your child’s upper respiratory health or hearing. 

Schedule a visit or call the office if your child:

• Has less severe symptoms that last more than a day
• Is less than 6 months old
• Has moderate to severe ear pain
• Develops symptoms after recovering from a cold or upper respiratory infection
• Has drainage from the ear
• Has difficulty hearing

We also recommend scheduling an evaluation if your child develops chronic or frequent ear infections because untreated infections can eventually cause permanent hearing loss.

Schedule an appointment at Sellwood Medical Clinic today. You can call us or send a message online anytime for more information about the ENT services we offer.