Ear Infection in Babies is a very common disorder. More than 80% kids are diagnosed with this problem by the time they celebrate their 3^rd birthday and the prime time for infection in children is between 6-24 months.

How to Identify If Your Child Has an Ear Infection

If your baby may have an ear infection, you can observe by change in his mood. If your baby starts crying more than usual or turns fussy, lookout for a problem and if his fever is increasing (whether trivial or high) then you have another big hint. Ear Infection in Babies occurs after a sinus infection or common cold, so keep that in mind too.

You May Notice Some Following Symptoms

Your baby tugs, pulls or grabs his ear this could be a sign of ear pain. Remember that babies generally do pull on their ears for no reason at all or for all kinds of reasons. So probably he does not have an infection.

Vomiting or Diarrhea- The bacteria that cause the ear infection can also have an effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

Reduced Appetite- Gastrointestinal upset could be caused by Ear infections. They can make it painful for the baby to chew and swallow. You may also notice when your baby pulls away from the breast or his bottle after he drinks the first few sips.

Whitish or Yellow Fluid Draining From The Ear- It doesn’t happen to most children, but it is a definite sign of infection. It also signals that a tiny hole has been created in the eardrum. (Don’t worry – it will make well once the infection is treated.)

Unpleasant Smell- You may sense a foul odor coming from your baby’s ear.

Trouble in Sleeping- as lying down can make his ear infection more painful.

Causes of Ear Infection in Babies

An ear infection can be caused by a virus or bacteria. It develops when fluid is creates in the area behind your child’s eardrum and hence becomes infected.

Generally, any fluid that enters this part leaves pretty rapidly through the Eustachian tube, which links the middle ear to the rear of the throat and nose. But if the Eustachian tube is obstructed or blocked – as frequently happens throughout the sinus infections, cold and even allergies – the fluid gets trapped in the middle ear.

Bacteria and germs like to develop in warm, dark and wet places, so a fluid-packed middle ear is the best breeding ground. As the infection gets bad, the inflammation in and behind the eardrum tends to worsen, creating the condition more painful.

Fever may increase as your child’s body tries to fight against the infection. The medical term for this situation is – a red eardrum, an accumulation of fluid, a painful inflamed middle ear and seldom is a fever AOM (Acute Otitis Media).

Using a pacifier can raise the risk of middle Ear Infection in Babies and kids. A study shows that, the frequency of ear infections was 33% lower in infants who didn’t utilize pacifiers.

Babies are mainly predisposed to ear infections because they have small (about ½ inches) and horizontally Eustachian tubes. As kids grow into adulthood, their tubes become more vertical and triple in length, so fluid can egress more easily.