What does my baby have wrong when the doctor says it's Otitis Media?

Otitis Media is an infection of the middle ear. It can be a virus or a bacterial infection. The ear canal of the baby or young child is close to the outer ear and therefore subject to this infection more often than an adult. Three fourths of all infants and small children have one or more of this type of infection before they reach the age of three.

When an infant or young baby who hasn't learned to talk yet gets an ear infection there are signs you can look for to determine if he needs a doctor. He may pull at his ear lobe or rub his fists over the opening in the outer ear. Otitis Media is a painful infection and the child will cry more than usual. The best thing to do is take the child to the pediatrician sooner rather than later when it may be more serious and take a longer time to treat and remedy.

This is a bacterial or viral infection of the middle ear. Behind the tympanic membrane (ear drum) is a space called the middle ear. When an infection causes swelling of the Eustachian tubes and enlargement of the adenoids, the Eustachian tubes cannot perform their function. In the healthy ear, the Eustachian tubes are usually in a closed position but they open frequently to allow air in to the middle ear. This equalizes the air pressure in the middle ear. In the infected ear the Eustachian tubes and enlargement of the adenoids may keep the air from passing through the Eustachian tubes to perform this necessary function. Fluid then collects in the middle ear and hearing is affected. If a small child loses the ability to hear clearly at this period of his life that is crucial to the learning of language and speech, he may end up with a speech disorder. It's important for a parent to watch for signs of decreased hearing. If the baby doesn't respond to soft sounds and isn't saying the average number of words at the usual age, he should be treated immediately.

One reason why the baby is susceptible to infection through the Eustachian tubes is they are shorter in the baby than in the adult ear. The infection of a cold or flu is in closer proximity to the middle ear and therefore the infection can pass more easily from throat to middle ear. As the child grows the Eustachian tubes also grow and begin to be placed at an angle in relation to the throat. Now the infections would have a more difficult time passing into the middle ear.

Signs that your baby has an ear infection:

* Inability to hear soft sounds - Stand behind the baby as he sits in a high chair and speak his name softly. You can judge by his response or lack of response if he has heard you.
* He either tugs at his ear lobes or rubs his fists over his ear repeatedly.
* Crying for no other apparent reason.
* Irritability for no apparent reason.
* A discharge of fluid from the ear, with or without pus.

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Êóïëþ Windows Êóïëþ Office -2003/XP/Vista sosoft@bk.ru
è äðóãîå ËÈÖÅÍÇÈÎÍÍÎÅ ÏÎ Microsoft
ïðåäëîæåíèÿ íà å-ìåéë sosoft@bk.ru